'Hmph. Surely I will be a superior talent at this ceremony. Above all these pampered pups.'
'Considering I am a reincarnated being, I won't have trashy talent.'
'But I was not really a good person as an executive, so maybe my karma might drag me down.'
'But I was a top tier human in terms of success, so it should be balanced.'
Sheng Xuan mused. Despite his attempt at staying cool, his heart still raced.
Sheng Xuan stood alongside his parents. All the clan folk with children had come to attend the ceremony. The air was thick with anticipation and nerves.
"Don't be nervous, it will be alright," Wen Zhi gently said, patting his back.
Sheng Xuan nodded.
"Even if it's lesser grade, it does not matter. Am I not doing just fine? You can live well too," she reassured.
"Mm."
Sheng Xuan hoped it would be high. Then he could set his sights on rank 2. He did not want to settle for less. A lesser grade, and he would have to get flexible with his bottom lines.
Sheng Xuan glanced at the tall man to his right, eyes closed, hands clasped behind his back, exuding a calm, steady aura. He hoped his father's genes had won the talent race; that would mean at least greater grade, enough for a shot at the late stage of Spirit Sea. Sheng Bo was the closest living proof of that.
When the Sun was directly above the central square, several elders in gold-white robes walked in. Some had stern expressions, some were friendly. In the lead was a broad-shouldered somber man, Patriarch Sheng. Sheng Xuan could not help but examine this leader of theirs. He wished he could overthrow him and take his spot, basking under the respectful gazes of many.
The elders gathered near a grand seat on the far north side. First Elder broke off from the group, coming to the center of the bluestone-paved square. His stern gaze swept the crowd. Sheng Xuan reflexively wanted to look away. Damn. Can I not even see eye to eye?
The crowd fell silent, watching him with respect.
In a measured voice, he began, "Today, everyone of age will be tested for their cultivation talent. Today, you will also start your journey to becoming a true participant in the ebb and flow of our clan. Some of you will stand out, some of you might not. But it's just a start; there will be many similar moments in your life."
"Look at our Sheng Clan. Bit by bit we have forged a legacy spanning centuries. We focused heavily on enhancement arts. Despite it not being a common, commercial choice, we have pushed it to a dominant position, standing shoulder to shoulder with other giants. So, ask yourself, what is it that you believe you can dominate in? And go for it."
Even Sheng Xuan was somewhat moved. The elder had more realism to him than those corporate shills.
Seeing everyone was a little more fired up than before, First Elder nodded in satisfaction.
"Alright, since everyone is here, we can start the ceremony."
These words brought the daydreaming young ones back down to earth.
Alongside the other elders and patriarch, First Elder turned to the north and bowed slightly, cupping his fist. "We invite the Ancestor!"
In unison, voices echoed across the square. Everyone else hurriedly bowed too.
A few moments passed before a calm voice echoed, "Rise."
On the grand seat, a white-haired woman now sat, calmly regarding everyone. Sheng Xuan stole a few glances, startled by her beauty. She bore no trace of old age. It made him yearn for the illustrious rank 2. Others, too, would one day wait on him like this.
Ancestor Sheng waved her hand, and a human-sized white stone pillar appeared in the square, covered in small patterns. A large circular dent sat at its base. Above, five dark wooden cards were embedded in it, lettered in white: Lesser, Greater, Superior, Earth and Heaven.
Sheng Xuan cast a deep look at the top card. With heaven grade, he could go far on this arduous path to immortality. Even earth grade would be fantastic. He had awakened past-life memories, after all; surely he was a chosen one.
"Everyone beside the juniors step back," First Elder said.
"Good luck!" Wen Zhi gently said.
Sheng Bo placed a hand on his shoulder and gave a firm nod.
Sheng Xuan smiled back to reassure them. Looking around, he counted more than a hundred young ones. Normal, he figured, for a clan with centuries of history. Those past the testing age, and their families, had not come.
First Elder divided the juniors into ten groups, then picked one at random. With that, the testing began. Anxiety weighed on every heart. Sheng Xuan watched like a spectator at a suspenseful drama.
Someone pressed a palm to the groove; moments later the lowest grade glowed, and joy broke across his face. Another looked disappointed and resigned. A third could not make it glow at all, his face taut with despair. Sheng Xuan pitied him, knowing he would feel the same in his shoes. He might lose his mind over it. There was always the martial path, but it was no match for the road to immortality.
Greater grade talents also started popping up, enlivening the atmosphere.
At some point, someone triggered the superior grade, drawing exclamations all around, elders rising from their seats with broad smiles. Watching the young man swarmed by elders, envy crept into Sheng Xuan's heart. How lucky. He was surely going to be made a rank 2 seed. How annoying. He would hoard resources that could have gone to him.
After him came several lesser and greater grades, then another superior, and another wave of gasps swept the square. The Sheng Clan's destiny truly did seem to be flourishing. Sheng Xuan snuck a glance at the ancestor, whose expressionless face had warmed a touch.
'She has such a queenly presence,' he mused.
Soon it was Sheng Xuan's turn. Watching the others had eased his nerves. He placed his fair palm on the groove and waited.
"Don't resist," First Elder calmly reminded.
Sheng Xuan nodded. A warm current flowed in through his palm, coursed through his body, and returned. His heart tensed, his eyes narrowing. Wen Zhi gripped Sheng Bo's arm, watching nervously. Sheng Bo placed his hand over hers, comforting her.
The lesser grade lit up, followed by the greater grade. Sheng Xuan felt relief, but his eyes fixed on the superior grade. It did not light. Unwilling to accept it, he pressed harder on the groove, willing it to keep rising. It would not budge. He let out a long sigh, forcing his drifting emotions back down.
'At least it was not lesser grade,' he thought, only to shake his head inwardly. He was not satisfied with mediocrity. He let the unresolved feeling stay.
First Elder nodded in appreciation. "Good job. You may go back."
Sheng Xuan bowed respectfully to him, then toward the elders and the ancestor. Sixth Elder, beaming, gave him a gentle nod.
Afterward, Sheng Xuan walked back to his parents. His mother's smile nearly reached her ears; his father wore a small smile too. Seeing they were not disappointed, he felt relieved.
"Mom. Dad," he called out.
"See, there was nothing to worry about." She caressed his face. "You did great out there. It's a day worth celebrating! Is that not right, husband?" She glanced at Sheng Bo.
"Mm. You did good," he calmly said.
Sheng Xuan did not feel he had done anything, but he appreciated the encouragement. These two really did not act like the usual cultivator parents. Look at the others: some reprimanded their child, some cast cold glares, some were simply disappointed.
Seeing them argue over which restaurant to go to, warmth filled his heart. It reminded him of his parents in his past life, who had never pressured him either. But those gentle days had not lasted; both passed early. The all-nighters in the hospital, the agony of losing them, were etched deep in his soul.
The ceremony lasted until sunset. One by one, families departed, some to celebrate, some to grieve. Of the hundred-odd juniors, only half had any talent for cultivation.
Fiery Fowl Tavern.
Sheng Xuan sat in a private cabin with his parents, savoring the juicy, spicy roasted red chicken in peace. Today, Wen Zhi held off nagging him about vegetables.
Afterward, she took them to a new dessert shop, where the cold sweets washed off the heat of the day. On his way out, he bought an extra strawberry one.
"Is this for Little Lan?" Wen Zhi asked with a teasing smile.
"Hm." Sheng Xuan neither denied it nor showed any embarrassment.
"You are no fun. Just like your Dad, too steady," Wen Zhi complained.
"What? Did you want me to blush and stutter?" he chuckled.
"Well, you are still young. Don't constrain yourself," she said.
"Hm."
They hired a carriage back to the clan estate. Under the night sky it looked grand, ringed by tall white walls. Within stood towering red and black buildings, ponds, pavilions, rockeries, gardens and bright lanterns. Sheng Xuan bid his parents farewell and headed to his own courtyard beside theirs.
After entering their house, Sheng Bo did not bother holding back anymore, hugging Wen Zhi.
"Ah, what are you doing!" she protested weakly.
"Remember what you said. It's a day worth celebrating. And the day is not over yet." He cast her a subtle look.
"You... old thing. You only have wicked thoughts in your head!" she meekly said, her big eyes going soft like autumn water.
Sheng Bo's eyes burned. He swept her into his arms, carrying her to their bedroom.
"You-"
He sealed her lips with his.
...
Sheng Xuan took a quick shower and changed into a fresh robe. He grabbed the day's newspaper, neatly folded on the table, and leaned back against the headboard. Even this world had learned a thing or two about subscriptions. He begrudgingly paid ten spirit stones a month for it, and did not count it a waste. In a cultivation world this chaotic, there was no shortage of interesting reads: treasure sightings, ruin explorations, heroic tales of cultivators, the evils of demonic cultivators and beastfolk.
With the talent test behind him, a weight had lifted. Tomorrow they would gather in a dedicated chamber to draw in their first wisp of spirit qi. Before that, he would go choose a cultivation art and a spirit art. One to accumulate, one to execute. If all went well and he finally became a cultivator, Wei Lan could come live with him.
'She should be here tomorrow morning,' he mused happily.