Now that Li Mo's heavenly blessing had been revealed, nothing else felt nearly as special. Even if another youth like Feng Wei appeared, Senior Wu would no longer be surprised, at most, he would give a few flat, perfunctory words, but that never happened, as the remaining youths were not blessed with any spiritual root at all.
Out of the sixty youths tested, about half were blessed. Most of them had taken part in Ling Ye's training, while only five had not. This was far higher than the usual number for a mortal village, where only a handful were typically blessed.
The sheer scale of it was enough to raise suspicion in Senior Wu, and now that the testing had ended, he had time to think more clearly.
After a moment of silence, Senior Wu's gaze turned sharp. He looked at the old man with suspicion, clearly suspecting some sort of unethical interference. Without a word, he grabbed the hand of one youth who had been blessed and another who had not.
The two youths were startled and instinctively tried to resist, but they weren't strong enough to break free. In the end, they had no choice but to stand still and let Senior Wu do as he pleased.
Once he released their hands, Senior Wu fell deep into thought. But even before he could voice his suspicions, Ling Ye had already guessed what was on his mind. Smiling confidently, kind yet calculated, Ling Ye stepped forward to approach him.
"Greetings, Senior Wu. I am the village head, the one who trained most of the blessed youths. It's a pleasure to finally greet you now that we have a moment to rest."
Hearing Ling Ye's voice, Senior Wu turned and was instantly surprised to see that the speaker was only a mortal. He hadn't expected a mortal to address him so confidently, without bowing or using excessively formal words.
Though surprised, Senior Wu was not easily shaken. He smiled politely, considering Ling Ye's words. "Haha, so it was the village head who trained these juniors! That explains why their foundations are so much sturdier than ordinary mortals. Village Head, I must commend you for your efforts. Would you mind sharing how you achieved this?"
At the question, Ling Ye's expression twitched ever so slightly. Inside, he cursed.
"Shameless."
Of course, he dared not say that aloud. Instead, his lips curved into a bright, agreeable smile, as though delighted by the request.
"Haha, Senior Wu wishes to know the methods? Naturally, I would be glad to share. However…" Ling Ye's tone softened into polite caution, "as I am unsure whether I can disclose such things outside the main family, I believe it best to first seek the permission of the elders. I hope Senior Wu understands."
As Ling Ye spoke at length, carefully avoiding any real mention of his methods, Senior Wu's mask slipped for just a moment, his expression tightening in irritation. But then his ears caught on two particular words, main family. His brows furrowed in confusion.
"What main family? Which mortal family do I need to ask permission from?" he asked, a trace of annoyance in his tone.
"Oh, Senior, I think you misunderstood." Ling Ye gave an embarrassed smile, then revealed the card he had kept hidden until now, his former identity. "Senior, I called Ling Ye, once a part of the Ling main family, But as the heavens did not bless me with a spiritual root, I was cast out. The clan's rules are clear: no mortal is allowed to remain in the Nine Peaks region."
"L-Ling… Ye?" Senior Wu stammered, visibly shaken. His gaze snapped toward the old man for confirmation. When the old man gave a slow nod, confirming Ling Ye's words, Wu Sheng coughed lightly to cover his slip and quickly scanned Ling Ye from head to toe with his spiritual sense.
He confirmed it: Ling Ye was indeed a mortal, no cultivator concealing his strength. Even so, Wu Sheng dared not be careless. "Anything tied to the Ling main family must be treated with caution. Better to be overcautious than end up with my head rolling later."
With that thought, Wu Sheng forced a hearty laugh, shaking his head. "Ah! Please, Your Highness Ye, don't call me 'Senior.' Who am I to be addressed so by someone of the Ling main family? I am merely a lowly cultivator of the Meridian River Realm, barely having stepped into it, with no hope of advancing further. Please… accept the bow of this unworthy outer disciple, Your Highness."
With that, Wu Sheng bowed deeply to Ling Ye. Ling Ye merely gave a small nod, though his sharp ears instantly caught Wu Sheng's earlier words, Meridian River Realm cultivator.
"If I remember correctly, the outer disciple who once guided me to the Hall of Spirituality said he was in the Dust Expelling Realm. That must mean the Dust Expelling Realm is the first stage of cultivation… and the Meridian River Realm is either the second, or perhaps even the third."
As this thought formed, Ling Ye's jaw tightened. "Curses! If only mortals were allowed to learn about the cultivation realms, I wouldn't be piecing and guess this so blindly! How much knowledge I have missed out because of these taboos?"
He exhaled slowly, calming himself. "No matter. I must play along. Senior Wu clearly fears the Ling clan's authority. That caution might earn me a few advantages if I handle this well."
So he spoke with a polite smile: "Please, Senior Wu, though I was once part of the Ling family, I am no longer. I am a mortal, not a cultivator, please, don't bow to me."
"As if I'd believe that!" Wu Sheng sneered inwardly. But outwardly, his expression blossomed into warmth, as though he were staring at the kindest man in the world.
"Your Highness Ye is too generous. Then this one shall obey his Highness's wishes and refrain from bowing further." He straightened his spine with practiced dignity, his eyes gleaming.
As Wu Sheng studied Ling Ye, catching sight of the faint aura of several talismans hidden within his robes, his mind stirred.
With that, Wu Sheng began to act, scheming to draw closer to Ling Ye's good graces.
"Please, Your Highness, take this. May it prove useful in your hands, for me, it merely takes up space in my storage ring!" Wu Sheng said with exaggerated humility. One of the many rings on his fingers lit up, and from it emerged a small, aged compass.
Ling Ye's eyes widened in surprise. He had no idea what the object was, but before he could ask, Wu Sheng continued his explanation.
"This is an item I obtained by pure chance. I discovered it in a forgotten tomb after battling through countless cultivators to reach it. In the end, fortune favored me, and I claimed this compass. At the time, I named it the Myridian Fortune Compass. However, once I advanced into the Meridian River Realm, it became of little practical use to me. Its functions are limited, and the years have worn it down greatly. Still, it retains a fragment of its power. I have even tested it a few times myself. Here ..." then he took out a small notebook and handed it to Ling Ye."... these detail its usage, but please, Your Highness, be cautious. The compass merely accelerates one's path toward fate, it does not change it. Its guidance comes with strict limits and should not be trusted blindly."
By now the compass was already in Ling Ye's hands. He struggled to keep his expression composed, masking the spark of excitement in his chest, and simply nodded with calm dignity, offering thanks.
"Good thing… truly interesting…" Ling Ye muttered under his breath, his black eyes fixed on the compass with obvious intrigue. Seeing this, Wu Sheng felt inwardly relieved and pleased, he had succeeded in flattering Ling Ye and placing himself in his good graces.
"Haha! If it can bring even a little satisfaction to Your Highness, then it is this Wu Sheng's greatest honor. But alas, duty calls. I cannot spend more time here speaking idly." With another respectful bow toward Ling Ye, Wu Sheng turned, gave a courteous nod to the old man, and then guided all the newly blessed youths onto the floating plate.
With everyone prepared to leave, Wu Sheng offered one final bow toward Ling Ye before guiding the blessed youths away from the Quiet Peak. Only after the cultivator disappeared into the night sky did the atmosphere finally calm.
For many of the unblessed youths, the sight of a cultivator bowing to Ling Ye was as shocking and almost as fortunate, as being blessed themselves. It was as though their roles had been reversed, with Wu Sheng the mortal and Ling Ye the cultivator.
They had always known their village head bore the noble Ling family name, but knowing and witnessing were two very different things. Now they had seen it with their own eyes, the mere name Ling carried a weight so heavy that even a cultivator would bow.
This realization filled them with awe… and also bitterness. They could not help but envy the bloodline they were not born into.
Ling Ye, however, paid them no mind. His attention was fixed on the Myridian Fortune Compass in his hands. After a long moment, he set aside his thoughts, restored his calm, and addressed the gathered youths with a composed wave of his hand.
"Go back home," he said evenly. "Think about your future and what it is you wish to do with it."
His words broke the tension, and the youths dispersed quietly, returning to their homes to digest both the testing and what they had just witnessed. Only the old man and his disciple remained unmoved, for they knew the truth: the name Ling held no real power for Ling Ye, not anymore.
The old man, however, had another thought as he watched Ling Ye examining the compass. For a brief moment, he considered seizing the treasure for himself. But then he recalled Wu Sheng's words, that the compass was flawed, its fortune limited, and its guidance only hastened what fate already decreed.
To him or his disciple, it would be useless.
With his own cultivation stagnant and his disciple's fortune being higher than an normal Dust Expelling Realm cultivator, no miraculous encounters awaited him regardless of what paths were hastened.
"Sigh…" The old man exhaled in quiet frustration and turned away, giving him the true pride of an Elder and head back to the small house he had built for himself on the peak.
Soon, the Quiet Peak was deserted once more, only the old man and his disciple lingering in its silence.
As for Ling Ye, he returned to his own quarters, sitting comfortably in his chair. Under the glow of the moonlight, he unfolded Wu Sheng's notes and began to study the secrets that he found about the Myridian Fortune Compass.