The two waited at the gate for a while before finally seeing someone emerge from within.
It was Fang Yong, who had just finished the contest not long ago.
Currently, he bore quite a few injuries.
He had wanted to treat his wounds properly, only to be told that someone was looking for him.
He hitched up his clothes, subconsciously covering his injuries as he walked toward the gate.
Seeing the two people at the gate, his brow furrowed slightly.
Stepping up to them, he said in a low voice, "Why are you here? It's not time for the spirit sources yet."
"We just came to see you," the woman said, her voice lacking confidence. "We sold some things and have five hundred spirit sources, so we brought them over for you on the way."
With that, she produced the spirit sources.
Looking at the spirit sources, Fang Yong's brow furrowed even deeper. "Are these the village's spirit sources for the New Year? I've told you before, you don't need to give me every last spirit source you have. If you have less, give me less; if you're late, give them to me later. I can find a way myself. As long as it doesn't hurt my image in the Yunqian Division."
"We didn't mean anything else by it," Butler Fang hurriedly said. "It's just that we happened to have the spirit sources, and we can't use them up anyway, so just take them."
As he spoke, he placed the spirit sources into Fang Yong's hand.
Then he spoke again, "You don't need to worry about spirit sources. We'll find a way. Just focus on cultivating inside. We rarely come over, so no one else will find out. It won't affect anything."
The woman chimed in, "That's right. It's so dark, and there's hardly anyone around."
Fang Yong gripped the spirit sources in his hand, looking at the slightly helpless pair before him.
He opened his mouth to say something, but in the end, the words wouldn't come out.
"Well, if there's nothing else, we'll head back," Butler Fang said.
Looking at the two of them, Fang Yong blurted out, "I got the qualification."
Hearing that, both of them froze.
Fang Yong repeated, "I got the qualification to participate in the sect assessment."
At those words, both of them grew emotional.
Butler Fang smiled, not knowing where to put his hands for a moment, and could only wipe them on his clothes.
His eyes grew moist, and he muttered, "Good, that's wonderful. It's good that you got it."
The woman's eyes reddened as well. "You've made something of yourself... You've truly made something of yourself."
"Cultivate well. We'll find a way for the spirit sources. We definitely won't cause trouble for you," Butler Fang said.
At this, Fang Yong's brow furrowed again, and his tone turned stern. "No need. I already told you, normal spirit sources are enough. Doing too much will only cause trouble for me. It will severely disrupt my cultivation."
Butler Fang could only offer an apologetic smile. "Don't worry, we won't trouble you. We'll leave right away."
Fang Yong opened his mouth, but saw that they had already turned to leave.
Watching their hunched figures, he frowned, feeling a pang of regret.
He hadn't intended to blame them, but once he opened his mouth, it somehow came out that way.
An inexplicable irritation stirred in his heart.
He only wanted them to keep some spirit sources and live a better life, and not have to trek over mountains and rivers. Making such a trip was too grueling.
Yet his words had sounded like a reprimand.
"What are you looking at, Young Master Fang?" A voice suddenly sounded behind Fang Yong.
Fang Yong tensed warily and turned his head.
Jiang Man was already standing behind him, though Fang Yong had no idea when he had arrived.
Ignoring him, Fang Yong turned and walked inside.
Jiang Man had assumed the other would ask if he had seen anything, then warn him again just as before.
Now, the first-place spot had changed hands, and Fang Yong no longer questioned or even warned him.
Because their statuses had reversed.
Still, the reason Jiang Man had come here was that when he returned his spirit sources today, the guard on duty happened to have an errand, so Jiang Man had agreed to cover the night shift for eighty spirit sources.
Before, it was a hundred for four nights.
Now, it was eighty for a single night.
This wasn't just because he was first place, but even more so because he had secured a qualification spot.
Currently, he ranked fourteenth in Qingyun Pavilion.
Next assessment, he would rise even higher.
Fang Yong took a few steps, then suddenly looked back. "You were cultivated by Luo Xuan before. Are you going to become the Luo family's matrilocal son-in-law now?"
Jiang Man looked at him and explained once more, "My current achievements have nothing to do with Luo Xuan."
"Then are you marrying in?" Fang Yong asked.
"Do you want to marry in?" Jiang Man said seriously. "Don't worry, I won't stand in your way."
"You won't marry in?"
"Naturally not."
"Because of your pride? A prodigy's conviction?"
"No, because I'm married."
Hearing that, Fang Yong was stunned.
He seemed unable to believe it.
Countless guesses had crossed his mind, but never had he imagined the other would give such an answer.
He didn't really believe it.
Who got married at such a young age?
No one married that early.
It wasn't as if they were in a village.
Still, he didn't press further, only saying, "Not just the Luo family—other families might look for you to marry in as well."
Sometimes, the simplest way to win someone over was to take them in as a son-in-law.
With that, Fang Yong walked away.
Jiang Man paid it no mind.
How could a real man born between heaven and earth linger long in subservience?
Marry in?
Wouldn't that block his path as a peerless prodigy?
Even immortal maidens would have to marry down to him; how could these families expect him to marry into theirs?
After that, Jiang Man went to his post and prepared to cultivate.
Before cultivating, though, he surveyed the surroundings.
He found nothing unusual.
With that, he stopped thinking about it.
He began to cultivate the Qi-Linking Method.
Before new instruction began on the first day of the first month, he wanted to push the Qi-Linking Method to the eleventh layer.
After that, gathering spiritual qi would be much faster.
Right now, his cultivation was at the Qi-Linking seventh layer, Physical Body Fourth Layer, and Mental Third Layer.
In just four short months, he had achieved results that others would look up to even after three years.
The future looked bright.
However, he still needed to prepare for the contest in the third month.
This time, he wanted to compete for spells.
He didn't know what Young Master Li and the others would vie for, or whether their paths would run contrary to his.
Fortunately, there were still three months left; surpassing them was by no means impossible.
—
The Luo residence.
Luo Xuan looked at the person opposite her and said, "You've been at my place all day. Aren't you going back?"
Cheng Yu shrugged and smiled. "I was explaining what I've been doing these past few days, and weren't you listening with great interest?"
Pausing, Cheng Yu continued, "So, do you have a preference in mind?"
"About what?" Luo Xuan asked.
"Taking in a husband, or a marriage alliance?" Cheng Yu asked.
Luo Xuan didn't answer, only saying, "You still haven't told me why you failed with Jiang Man."
Hearing that, Cheng Yu smiled and said, "I wrote an admiration letter to him in your name, and later I went to ask him for a reply. I wanted to see what he would write."
"What did he write?" Luo Xuan asked curiously.
"Nothing," Cheng Yu replied with a shake of her head and a smile. "Do you know why?"
"Why?" Luo Xuan was genuinely curious.
"He said he's married," Cheng Yu answered.
"How is that possible?" Luo Xuan's immediate reaction was disbelief.
Cheng Yu didn't believe it either.
Unfortunately, no one could give them an answer.
Whether they believed it or not, the result remained the same.
Having said her piece, Cheng Yu patted the wrinkles on her clothes and said, "I should head back."
"So late?" Luo Xuan asked, puzzled.
"Yeah, but not too late," Cheng Yu smiled as she bade farewell.
Afterward, she left the Luo residence and returned to the Cheng residence.
At the gates of the Cheng residence, she stood for a long time, then finally took a deep breath and walked inside.
Chapter 54