Thomas Li formed an Arcane Incantation with his fingers, watching the fine mystical rain fall into the dark soil. His face, pale, he pondered: <br><br>"This mystical rain technique from the spiritual plant cultivation methods truly consumes an exorbitant amount of energy. Even having established the Bright Inheritance Wheel, I can barely cast it once. These spiritual plants still require daily tending, which truly calls for additional manpower." <br><br>Paul Xiang and Thomas Li surveyed the mystical grain fields of various villages, only to find them pitifully small. Li Jing Village's fields were scattered in fragments, but fortunately, the largest one could barely accommodate the cultivation of ten White Origin Fruits. <br><br>Thus, Thomas Li had some men construct a small courtyard at the foot of this once-barren mountain for his farming and cultivation. Supplies would be delivered regularly, making life relatively comfortable. <br><br>Paul Xiang, on the other hand, selected a plot of mystical grain field in Jingyang Village and planted Mystical Grain there. His actions led the villagers of Jingyang to bow in reverence outside his courtyard daily, which he found rather amusing. <br><br>Since he had not yet entered the Cyclical Wheel, Thomas Li closed his eyes and meditated for nearly half an hour to recover his magical power. Glancing at the time, he noted that Leo Ye had already been waiting outside the door with a group of people for quite a while. <br><br>As the wooden door creaked open, Leo Ye quickly bowed and greeted him: <br><br>“All the children from the villages have arrived, Brother Tongya. Shall we head out now?” <br><br>“Mm.” <br><br>Thomas Li responded softly. Amid Leo Ye's and other men’s enthusiastic smiles, he slowly made his way toward the village head. <br><br>———— <br><br>Under a lush, sprawling locust tree at the village head, representatives from the various villages had all gathered. Stewarded by appointed liaisons from the Li family, they were accompanied by groups of children from their respective villages. <br><br>The liaisons, appearing somewhat at ease, stood in pairs under the tree, conversing in low voices. Meanwhile, the villagers from outside appeared both anxious and reserved, remaining silent and standing stiffly. The children, sensing the tension, obediently sat down on the ground. <br><br>Chen Erniu had been in high spirits recently, so much so that he struggled to sleep at night. After generations of toiling in the fields, he finally felt like he was experiencing a life worth living. <br><br>When assigned to oversee Pear Creek Crossing, Chen Erniu knelt before the Li family courtyard and knocked his forehead against the ground nine times, shedding tears while making a solemn vow to the elder Li: <br><br>“Blessed by the Old Master’s trust, Chen Erniu will ensure that every villager in Pear Creek Crossing obeys him to the fullest extent.” <br><br>Having been sheltered by the Li family during his hardships, provided with land and a wife, and even supported through his wife’s illness, Chen Erniu felt an immense debt of gratitude. This debt firmly tied him to the Li family's cause. <br><br>What’s more, with such overwhelming benefits before him, Chen Erniu felt he’d even eat dung if it meant securing them. <br><br>However, Chen Erniu had long held animosity toward Xu Wenshan, even before the days of tenant farming. This dislike extended to their respective villages, causing frequent disputes. Only Ren Ping’an, with his transcendent status across the three villages, kept to himself, minding his own village affairs. <br><br>“Steward Chen…” <br><br>A hurried voice interrupted his thoughts, prompting Chen Erniu to turn around. It was Chen Changhu, a fellow villager from Pear Creek Crossing. <br><br>Pear Creek was predominantly inhabited by the Chen family, and Chen Changhu, being the family’s eldest member, held significant respect in the community. Thus, he had been unanimously chosen to lead their delegation. <br><br>“Do you think the immortals of the Li family will truly accept children from the Chen family?” <br><br>The usually composed and dignified elder now bore an anxious expression, his gaze fixed on the village entrance as he lowered his voice to ask. <br><br>“They say you need the destiny of ascension! And you must possess that so-called nexus! Any child between the ages of seven and thirteen who bears a Spiritual Nexus will be taken in by the Li family!” <br><br>Seeing Chen Changhu nod repeatedly, Chen Erniu clicked his tongue, harboring a surge of envy. He lamented how his two children were either too old to qualify or too young to be tested. <br><br>“The immortals are here!” <br><br>As Thomas Li appeared at the village entrance, Chen Erniu quickly stepped forward, a smile plastered across his face. He couldn’t help but envy the children of the villages, wondering who among them might be fortunate enough to possess the destiny of ascension this day. <br><br>Thomas Li gave a slight bow in greeting toward Chen Erniu and turned to Leo Ye. <br><br>“Let’s begin.” <br><br>To the side of the locust tree stood a wooden platform that had been set up earlier. Thomas Li ascended and took his seat. Below, the liaisons began calling out names. <br><br>“Pear Creek Crossing! Chen Lifu!” <br><br>Below, a Chen family member brought a trembling child forward. Thomas Li placed his hand on the child’s shoulder, channeling his magical power through the boy’s body briefly before waving his hand and saying: <br><br>“Next.” <br><br>The two silently descended, not daring to utter a word. Below, Chen Changhu's face revealed a fleeting look of disappointment. <br><br>“Next!” <br><br>… <br><br>Before long, all the children from Pear Creek Crossing had been tested, yielding no promising results. Chen Changhu's expression grew grim, and he cast an imploring look at Chen Erniu. <br><br>In response, Chen Erniu rolled his eyes and spread his hands, signaling his helplessness. <br><br>Although the day was chilly in the late autumn, the gathering of so many people beneath the tree still felt cool. Yet anxiety caused beads of sweat to trickle down the villagers’ foreheads. Seeing that no destiny of ascension had been found among Pear Creek’s children, unease began to creep into their hearts. <br><br>Thomas Li, however, remained unfazed. He had set his expectations accordingly, knowing how rare it was for someone to possess a Spiritual Nexus—one in a thousand, if not fewer. If even one child among the villagers bore such potential, it would be considered worthwhile; two would be a great profit. <br><br>“Jingyang Village! Liu Rouxuan!” <br><br>As soon as the name was called, a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old girl stepped forward. Her brows curved gracefully, her bright eyes filled with apprehension as she nervously bit her lip. <br><br>At fourteen, she was already at the upper age limit. Thomas Li sighed inwardly at the thought but extended a hand to her shoulder, channeling his magical power. <br><br>Upon completing the cycle through her meridians, Thomas Li let out a soft exclamation of surprise. Below, the Liu family members of Jingyang Village grew visibly tense. <br><br>Within the girl’s Qi Sea Acupoint, a clear and transparent nexus pulsed rhythmically, almost as if it were breathing on its own. <br><br>“Not bad.” <br><br>Thomas Li opened his eyes and smiled gently at the girl. “Stand behind me.” <br><br>Liu Rouxuan stared blankly into his eyes, seemingly unable to process the enormity of her fortune. A few breaths later, realization dawned, and a joyful expression overtook her face as she stepped behind him. <br><br>The crowd from Jingyang Village burst into a quiet commotion, their faces glowing with happiness. Though their cheers were stifled out of reverence for Thomas Li, their joy was apparent. In stark contrast, Pear Creek Crossing fell into a somber silence, while the remaining two villages grew even tenser. <br><br>Before long, the children from Jingyang and Lidao villages were all tested, confirming that no other child bore a Spiritual Nexus. <br><br>“Li Jing Village!” <br><br>Thomas Li’s gaze swept low over the children below. Naturally, Arcane Proclamation Li was not among them—after all, the boy was only three years old, far too young to test for a nexus. At minimum, he’d have to wait until the age of seven. <br><br>Finally, it was the turn of the local village children. Leo Ye raised an eyebrow, calling out names with gusto. <br><br>“If Brother Tongya hadn’t tested me early, I’d be itching to go up myself!” <br><br>Leo Ye muttered to himself bitterly while announcing names loudly. <br><br>“Ye Qiuyang!” <br><br>Below, the boy’s father, Ye Chengfu, tensed up, his legs turning to jelly as his gaze fixated on the eight- or nine-year-old child stepping onto the platform. He silently reassured himself: <br><br>“Our Ye family, as an offshoot of the Li family, must surely have some destiny of ascension within us…” <br><br>As Thomas Li placed his hand on Ye Qiuyang’s shoulder, Ye Chengfu closed his eyes tightly and slumped to the ground, dazed, straining to listen.)
