(have wrote a bit more in the 14th chapter, please read it again and then read this chapter.)
The courtyard quickly descended into chaos as the youths began sparring against one another, each eager to show off before Ling Ye. He, however, only watched with his usual cold expression.
It was exactly this indifference that drove them further, the desire to shatter that calm, to make him acknowledge them with even a trace of amazement.
With that thought in mind, they fought fiercely. Many had already reached the second stage of both the Turtle Breathing Technique and the Bending Monkey Technique, but only a handful had managed to step into the third stage. Among them, only one had succeeded in both, Li Mo.
From all the trainees, he stood as the most talented, capable even of suppressing five opponents at once. This was thanks not only to the two techniques Ling Ye had taught them, techniques that anyone could master, but also because Li Mo possessed a rare talent for combat.
The others simply could not match his instincts, no matter how hard they tried.
Surrounded by five youths, Li Mo moved with fluid ease. As fists came at him from every side, he dodged effortlessly, his breathing steady and controlled. With patience and precision, he countered, striking just enough to break their rhythm.
Step by step, he disoriented their formation, turning their teamwork into chaos until, in their confusion, they even struck at each other. One by one, they fell, defeated.
"He is truly as stated, talented beyond his peers, one of the most promising to become a cultivator." Ling Ye reminded himself of Li Mo's enormous potential.
Although Ling Ye was only a year older than Li Mo, he knew without a doubt that if they fought, he would surely lose.
"Sigh…" Ling Ye exhaled at the thought and turned his gaze toward the other fights, hoping to find at least someone who could compare to Li Mo's skill in combat. Yet, as the sparring continued and came to an end, it became clear, none could match him.
Still, someone like Li Mo was surely the type the Ling Clan would accept eagerly, especially if he were blessed by the heavens. If that happened, his opportunities would far surpass those of an ordinary cultivator.
Aside from Li Mo, however, five other youths managed to stand out. Two were female, three were male. Ling Ye did not know their names, likely they were newcomers, but their performance was surprising.
Though they had only reached the first stage of both techniques, they could still hold their own against others who had already advanced to the second stage. That alone was proof of their talent.
With the sparring finally over, Ling Ye gave a small nod of approval. Exhausted, their robes soaked in sweat, the youths nevertheless stood straight, offering him a respectful salute and bow as he prepared to leave.
With that, Ling Ye nodded once more and left, giving Li Mo one last glance before departing. As Ling Ye's figure disappeared, Li Mo's eyes widened, and a small smile crept onto his face. Suddenly, a burly youth appeared beside him.
"Whoa, Brother Mo! You were worthy of a glance from Sir Village Head himself! You'll surely become a big shot in the future. Just don't forget your humble and lowly brother here," the youth said with a grin.
Hearing Brother Feng's words, Li Mo snorted in annoyance and struck him with his fist.
"Did you not train enough? Why haven't you reached the third stage of the Turtle Breathing Technique yet, Brother Feng? You know what, this brother of yours has some time today. Let's train until the moon hangs high in the night sky, hehe…"
Li Mo's words turned sharp, his smile twisting into something sinister, almost mad. A cold shiver ran down Brother Feng's spine. The chuckle at the end made him tremble, and before he could prepare himself, Li Mo's fists were already raining down on him.
His cries only ceased when the moon rose high in the night sky. From that day on, many began to fear the new Li Mo, longing for the gentle and intelligent boy he used to be. They hoped he would change back, but for Brother Feng, Li Mo had become a true devil.
Meanwhile, walking back to his office, Ling Ye gazed at the night sky and sighed deeply, his thoughts heavy and his expression as unreadable as ever.
"All of those who trained from the beginning have already reached the second stage… but why can I only reach the second stage of the Turtle Breathing Technique? Is my talent truly so poor compared to normal mortals?"
Although he asked himself, Ling Ye already knew the answer. He had no talent for cultivation or training. Even with countless herbs and the already tempered body he had inherited from the Ling Clan, everything remained useless to him.
"Haaa…" Taking a deep breath, Ling Ye no longer wanted to dwell on it. Instead, he shifted his mind toward the future. As he thought, a faint light flickered in his black eyes, and a small smile appeared on his lips.
But before his thoughts could drift further, he found himself standing before the office house. Staring blankly at the familiar door, he suddenly realized something.
"I don't have anything else to do. Everything now is just a matter of waiting and watching. The most I can do is plan for what comes after one of the youths is blessed with a spiritual root."
With this realization, an unseen weight suddenly lifted from his shoulders. His expression softened, faintly resembling his old self. He pushed the door open and stepped into his office.
As he gazed at the room where he had spent nearly all of his time over the past months, memories surfaced.
He remembered how often Zhou Wu came, urging him to change, to be more outgoing, to connect with the villagers.
He recalled the times when nervous villagers would enter, trembling and stammering to explain their troubles, only for Zhou Wu to later admit they wanted Ling Ye to do their work for them, sometimes even offering nearly a third of their monthly earnings in return.
And he remembered the countless nights when he sat lost in thought, until exhaustion dragged him into sleep right there at his desk, unable to think properly anymore.
Countless memories rose in Ling Ye's mind, and most of them included Zhou Wu. One could even say Zhou Wu was the only person close to being a friend here, but that was only because he was Ling Ye's direct subordinate. If he hadn't been, things would have been far more complicated.
Suddenly, Ling Ye froze. A small, gentle smile appeared on his lips, his expression softening into something almost carefree. He even chuckled quietly to himself.
"These eight months truly were eventful…" he murmured. But then, deep within his heart, a question surfaced: "Did he ever truly see me as a friend?"
His mood shifted in an instant. The carefree expression vanished, replaced by cold aloofness. Yet his eyes held a pained look, as though he had just been beaten down.
The atmosphere around him grew heavy and serious. He moved to his desk and opened one of the report books, filled with problems requiring his attention. He tried to immerse himself in the reading, but the question about Zhou Wu refused to leave his heart.
No matter how much he read, his thoughts wandered. Even while his eyes scanned the pages, his mind was elsewhere. After three hours of struggling, he gave up, stopping halfway through.
Setting the book down, Ling Ye leaned back and gazed at the ceiling. He didn't know what to say to himself. He only knew one thing.
"Maybe he does want something from me. But isn't it human nature to desire something? If, one day, he asks something of me… I will grant it."
With that, Ling Ye let out a heavy sigh and sealed these thoughts deep within his heart, hoping never to dwell on them again.
With that, Ling Ye buried himself even deeper in his work, going through matters that weren't truly his responsibility. He kept at it until the sun had long set and the moonlight shone faintly through his office window.
Realizing how late it was, he finally set the papers aside and lay down on his couch, hoping to sleep quickly. More than anything, he wished for the night to pass swiftly so the next day could arrive. Sleep came to him fast, but it was far from peaceful.
He dreamed of a dark, endless space. Nothing existed there but himself. When he took a step forward, a narrow path slowly formed beneath his feet, guiding his way.
He walked it, again and again blocked by obstacles. Each time he forced his way through, he overcame them, but something was lost. His figure grew darker, less human, every step staining him further. Finally, the path split into two.
Both directions felt different, yet somehow the same at their core. Ling Ye stood still, hesitating, unable to take another step. Then, without warning, a dagger pierced his chest.
Falling, he looked up and saw a familiar silhouette, the black robed man. Those cold eyes stared down at him with utter indifference.
At that moment, Ling Ye's own eyes snapped open.
His heart pounded, his breath rough and uneven. He clutched at his chest, expecting blood, but found nothing. Slowly, his breathing calmed, though his body trembled from the lingering fear.
"Hehe…" a bitter chuckle escaped him. "Just a nightmare."
Looking outside, he saw that the day had already begun. He had overslept.
"Sigh…" Ling Ye exhaled heavily and pushed himself to his feet. On the desk sat his breakfast, likely placed there by Zhou Wu. The other villagers didn't dare disturb him, and Zhou Wu, too kind hearted for his own good, had simply accepted the task.
Ling Ye said nothing. He only picked up the plate and began to eat, silently, already knowing he was late in starting the day's work, work didn't waited for him.