Chapter 2 - Discussion and Revelations
“Young master, it is morning,” a pretty young maid wearing a servant's uniform with an insignia of a red dragon circling a sword on her chest gently shook awake the youth sleeping in the large bed covered in red silk sheets with beautiful patterns.
“It is time already? Prepare my bath, I want to freshen up before going for breakfast. Are the others at the table already?” Long Xie was woken by the gentle shaking of the maid and said.
“Yes, young master Long, the patriarch and the others have are also starting to arrive at the dining room. I will take my leave.” The maid softly left the youth’s room to prepare the bath.
“Mhh.” Long Xie woke up slowly, looking outside, the sun we still half hidden in the horizon. The height of his room gave him a clear view of the dawn sky. The radiant sunlight shone brightly yet softly through the beautifully embroidered curtains of the house-sized room.
‘The yang qi is strongest right now, cultivating now would be best according to the Nine Yang Star Scripture. Ah, in the past I had to wake up early to prepare for school, now even while living the life of a wealthy second generation I must still wake up early to cultivate. Heh, although I haven't gotten any cheat skills or artefacts since I reincarnated in this world, my bloodline and talent are quite good. After all, if I ended up like those trash main characters at the start that would truly be frustrating. I don’t think I could have taken the abuse and powerlessness.’
Bloodline and talent were an important aspect of cultivation regardless of what race or being one was. As cultivation, especially for humans, is done through absorbing and refining the world qi and turning it into one's own qi, talent is needed to determine the speed at which this process can be done. Talent influences the ability of the body to absorb the world qi quickly and to refine it in less time with the more pure qi absorbed. The higher the talent a cultivator has, not only would they progress faster through the cultivation stages, but they would also face fewer bottlenecks when advancing.
Bloodlines are another matter entirely. They are not affected by the individual, but rather their race and ancestry. When primordial beasts roamed the lands unhindered and ancient cultivators walked the path of immortality to rise against the heavens, cultivation was very different. At those times the world qi was denser and purer, heavenly treasures were abundant and the heavens themselves supported the growth of the cultivators, whatever their race. As more beings were born, however, the qi of the world become more scarce, many lands were even left barren with barely any qi available. Heavenly treasures became things of legends and even previously common plants would now cause a bloodbath.
The bodies of these ancient cultivators, humans, beasts, and the other races were much more enriched due to the presence of the rich qi of the time. Their qi pathways inside the body were wider and adapted to accept larger amounts of qi to be taken inside and refined. These cultivators bodies were also said to be much stronger as well, be it their toughness or their constitution. This is why the bloodline which one had played a great role in their cultivation as well. If one had the bloodline of these ancient cultivators or primordial beasts, they could more easily accept the energy and qi of heaven and earth and advance quickly. They would also have stronger bodies, many times able to combat those with cultivation above their own.
It was commonly accepted that the child of two cultivators would have stronger future prospects than a child of two regular mortals. The stronger the cultivator when they gave birth, the stronger the child would be when born. As strong cultivators had children, and their children had children, the bloodline travels through, and as long as each generation does not have any accidents, the future generation will usually have equal or better future prospects as well. In fact this is one of the reason that many clans and sect-clans were able to hold so much power over the world.
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As Long Xie arrived at the dining room, he noticed that other than his grandparents and elder brother, everyone was there.
“Hehe, little brother you are quite late you know, we were all waiting for you. You should know today is an important day, and there are also some interesting events that happened in the city while you were having your beauty rest. Humph,” Before Long Xie could even utter a greeting, his elder sister, the only daughter of the main branch of the Long family, Long Yue welcomed him in here usual playful tone. Even while being 3 years older at the age of 16, she still acted childishly due to being spoiled by their parents for being the only daughter. Her black tresses framed her beautiful pale face which only assented her already beautiful and shapely body. Dressed in a traditional green robe with silver embroidery, the eldest daughter of the Long family was not only extremely beautiful but equally well cultured.
“Greeting father, mother, elder sister. I did not intend to come late, I just fell asleep too late last night and was tired.” Long Xie sat at the table and respectively greeted his family while retorting his sisters playful quip.
“I had told you to rest early dear. Staying up too late is not good. If you wake up this late then you will also miss the chance to cultivate in the morning. You should know the dawn is the best time to cultivate the Nine Yang Star Scripture. You should listen to your mother.” An older woman who looked barely a day over 25 replied in a caring manner while being situated to the right of the seat at the head of the table. With a head of black hair, the woman had charm and beauty that was only more and not less than her daughter. “Even Yue’er sleeps on time even though she cultivates the Nine Yin Lunar Formula”
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“Yes mother, Xie’er understands. It was just that yesterday I had some things on my mind.”
“Thinking about that little girl Lin again? Hehe, little brother although you are only thirteen sometimes I think you are more perverted than those old men.” Long Yue, not one to leave an open chance like this hanging, could not help but quip in.
“Sister please, I am too young. Furthermore, that lass is already to be my wife, what is wrong with thinking of her. At Least I have someone whom I can pine after, what about you, already so old yet you are still single. At this rate you will become an old hag and no man will even look at you.” Long Xie did not forget to reply. This banter was common between the siblings and done in good fun.
“Humph, you…”
“Enough children, it is merely the morning, do not start now. Furthermore we have matters to discuss. Xie’er this matter concerns you as well so quiet down and eat.” Finally, the man sitting at the head of the table spoke. Looking as young as the young woman sitting next to him, it was hard to tell that they both had 3 children of which the oldest is already 18. With dark blue hair, strong and wide shoulders and an indifferent expression on his face, the current Long family patriarch was a sight of an apex male specimen. Respected as well as feared, in the Long clan he was under 2 but above ten thousand. The two being his parents of course.
“Yes father,” a chorus of childish voices rang out.
“What was the matter that sister talked about before father. Did something happen in the capital?” Long Xie asked recalling what his sister had said. ‘The matter at the Yun family must have been found out. It was bound to happen, as long as there is no evidence it is no matter.'
“Yes, other than your brother who will be returning from the Imperial academy at noon, a certain matter has alerted the Imperial Capital today. The head elder in charge of finance in the Yun family was found assassinated today morning. With the Yun family being one of the 9 Major clans of the Du dynasty they have mobilized many of their experts and are looking for the whereabouts of the killers. Although…”
“Is something wrong dear? For an assassination to happen in the capital is indeed concerning, but the Yun clan is merely a major clan, for our Long clan it is not a great matter, right?” The matriarch of the Long clan asked of her husband.
“Indeed Mei’er, but the one was was killed is the reason for our concern. You should know that when our Xie’er proposed to start a business in dealing insurance our Long clan had struck it rich. We were able to increase our wealth by more than half. As the clan with deep interests in commerce the Yun clan was specifically opposed to us on this matter. After all we did monopolize the insurance market. Ai, Xie’er coming up with this absurd idea was quite amazing, were it not for father telling me to run with it I would have put it off as rambles from a child.”
“The Yun clan elder that was killed was the one that was actually the most opposed to us over this matter. His sudden death has thus lead suspicions to our Long clan. Although we do not fear some Yun clan, it could cause some complication, especially if the damn Dong clan that is backing the Yun family uses this as an excuse to cause trouble for us. Fortunately while examining the corpse, traces of dark qi were found. Dark qi has not been heard of for generations, only the barbarian residents of the Great Chasm are said to train in it. Because of this there was no way to push the blame on our Long clan. Not only are dark qi users rare amongst even the barbarians, we have not had contact with them for thousands of years. Because of this the Yun family is looking for the killer in the Capital. As the murder only happened last night the murderer may still be in the city.” The patriarch, Long Yan told his family.
‘It seems the matter went as planned. No one will be able to imagine that a subordinate of mine would be able to use dark qi. Humph, Yun Huazhong, you trash did you really think you would be able to stand against me and my Long clan and live? It is simply asking for death. Although father and the others seem to not know, grandfather probably does. Ahh, the benefits of high cultivation are countless…”
“It’s good that this matter is dealt with then. Although we are also one of the three great clans of the Du dynasty, now is not the time to get into conflict with the Dong clan.” Yurong Mei, the mother of Long Xie spoke up.
“Indeed, indeed. Hey little brother, forget about those dreary matters, let's talk about cultivation. How are you doing now? Ne, ne what level do you think elder brother would have gotten to? Hehe, I have also been cultivating hard lately brother, soon I will catch up to you!” Long Yue, seeing the matter was over decided to talk to her brother once more.
“Sister, you should know brother is a genius. Especially after going to the Imperial academy, with his talent and our Long family bloodline it would not be difficult for him to have reached middle stage or even late stage of xiantian right now. And as for you sister, haha, perhaps one day soon you will overtake me.”
“Mou, little brother don’t bully me. I know I can’t match you. A heaven sent genius like you is not something little old me can compete with. You are only 13 and have already stepped into the 2nd level of xiantain. I, your sister, already being 16 has only just stepped into xiantain. Even the most gifted genius at my age in the dynasty is only at the 4th stage of xiantian. At your age, the strongest other than the Lin girl who was born with that special physique, is only at the peak of Houtain. If you continue at this rate all the cultivation geniuses of the world can only bow down to you.”
“Haha, sister you are being too modest. Being able to reach xiantian in and of itself is an accomplishment. Reaching it by 16 almost guarantees that you will be able to reach the Qi gathering realm in the future.”
“Indeed son. You make us proud. For my Long Clan to create such a genius is wonderful. Were it not that you want to keep your cultivation hidden and were able to suppress it with the help of father and the Shadow Revolving Technique, even the so called four geniuses of the dynasty would only be trash compared to you.” Long Yan was indeed proud to have such a prodigy as a child, in the future the Long clan would only prosper if they had such an expert secretly protecting them.
“Xie’er, your accomplishments in cultivation are truly profound. Not only that but you are able to come up with such wonderful ideas like insurance that have benefitted our Long clan greatly. Mother is happiest to see you successful! Your future prospects are limitless.” Yurong Mei also spoke up to praise her son. After all, which mother would not be happy that their child is successful in life?
“Haha, good, but don’t say too much woman, it will go to his head. Keep up the good work Xie’er, perhaps you will soon become the youngest Qi gathering expert within the Du dynasty. I will be leaving now as I have some matters to attend to, all of you should also get to work. Mei’er come find me when you are ready. We should all be ready to receive your brother when he arrives in the noon. We will have a banquet during lunch. Father will also be coming out of cultivation to welcome Xian’er.” Long Yan stood as he addressed his family before exiting the dining hall. The maids coming to take care of the dishes and chores of the morning.
‘Ah yes, brother should be coming soon. I forgot about that when thinking about the matter of the Yan clan. It will be nice to meet him after such a separation…”