"Brother Xu, you've raised this child Dewen quite well. There's a determined spirit in his eyes. He'll definitely achieve great things in the future." Yang Zhao stood side by side with Xu Chuan, his eyes watching the two people in the martial training grounds as he smiled faintly.
"Brother Yang flatters me. Ruifeng is also quite good. His martial achievements will definitely surpass his father's." Xu Chuan also gave an honest assessment.
"Young Master Wen will definitely win!"
"Young Master Wen, do your best!"
A group of guards were all cheering and shouting for Xu Dewen at this moment.
This could be considered home-field advantage.
The Xu family guard patrols operated on a rotation system, with one day of rest per month. However, most guards would still come to the Xu family martial training grounds even on their rest days, tempering their martial skills or sparring with fellow guards to gain combat experience.
"Cousin Ruifeng, please instruct me." Xu Dewen cupped his fists in greeting.
Yang Ruifeng returned the courtesy and said, "Cousin Dewen, be careful. I won't be holding back."
Xu Mingshu lightly tapped her toes and leaped to the northwest edge of the martial training grounds.
Shortly after, Yang Ruifeng struck first. His right fist blazed with crimson light, carrying scorching heat with each punch.
Xu Dewen met it with soft palm techniques, both palms glowing red like hot irons but wherever the fist force passed, the palm techniques were steadily pushed back.
Yang Shichang grinned. "Sister, see? I told you Feng'er has the upper hand. The age difference isn't so easy to overcome. After all, our Yang family's cultivation of the younger generation is among the best in the entire commandery city."
In the blink of an eye, the two had exchanged over fifty blows, their figures constantly moving around the martial training grounds.
Xu Dewen fought while retreating, while Yang Ruifeng grew more courageous with each exchange, showing signs that in another dozen or so moves he would completely crush Xu Dewen.
Wen Jing smiled with some pride. "Sister Ronghua, Dewen's strength is actually quite good. To have such performance at this age, he'll definitely surpass his cousin in the future."
Yang Ronghua smiled but said nothing.
At this moment, Xu Dezhao seemed to have noticed something. The corner of his lips curved slightly as he said indifferently, "Second Brother will win."
Yang Shichang looked over in surprise. "Dezhao, what do you mean? Clearly Feng'er has the upper hand."
"Uncle, just watch. In the end, my second brother will definitely win."
"I don't believe it. How can Dewen turn things around from such a disadvantage!"
Another dozen or so moves passed.
Xu Dewen began defending completely, using both arms to block and resist Yang Ruifeng's offensive.
Bang, bang, bang~
The punches were fierce, each one striking his arms. Fine beads of sweat continuously appeared on Xu Dewen's forehead, as if he was gritting his teeth to endure.
"Cousin Dewen, just admit defeat. Otherwise, if this continues, your arms might be ruined."
"Not necessarily."
"Is that so?"
Yang Ruifeng unleashed the extremely powerful Explosive Flame Fist recorded in the Fire Origin Formula, renowned for its explosive power yet Xu Dewen still neither dodged nor evaded. But his eyes lit up, as if gleaming with intense light.
Boom~
Xu Dewen took the blow. His entire body was sent flying seven or eight meters away.
What surprised everyone was that he had actually withstood it then instead of his momentum declining from the injury, it actually kept rising. The internal energy within his body surged and churned, continuously striking at his acupoints.
Part of the attacks he had received earlier had been converted by his bloodline power into assistance for opening his acupoints.
"Break! Break! Break!"
Xu Dewen shouted three times. His momentum reached its peak, and then everyone heard unusual sounds of "pu pu pu" coming from within his body.
Everyone present had practiced martial arts and knew this was the sign of acupoints being opened.
"He broke through?" Yang Shichang and the others all showed surprised expressions.
Xu Dewen grinned. "Sorry for keeping you waiting, Cousin Ruifeng. I was actually at a bottleneck before, so I borrowed your strength to open my last three acupoints. Now I've also stepped into the first-rate martial artist realm."
Xu Dewen had already been at peak second-rate martial artist. Even without this battle, he only needed to continue tempering himself for at most half a month to become a first-rate martial artist.
"First-rate martial artist?!" Yang Shichang exclaimed in shock, saying blankly, "When Feng'er was thirteen, he had only just reached the second-rate martial artist realm."
Yang Ruifeng's pupils contracted slightly. "So that's what you were planning, Cousin Dewen. However, even if we're both first-rate martial artists, that doesn't mean I'll lose. After all, you just broke through and your internal energy is still somewhat unstable.
"Besides, my previous attacks couldn't have left you completely uninjured."
Xu Dewen smiled faintly. "Cousin Ruifeng, be careful!"
He no longer held back and began using all the martial techniques from the Fire Origin Formula. Judging by how effortlessly he executed them, he was clearly more proficient than Yang Ruifeng.
The Xu family's martial training was first-rate even in all of Great Wei, so they placed great emphasis on fundamentals.
Besides breaking through acupoints, Xu Dewen also spent considerable time each day on martial techniques.
After several years, while he couldn't be called perfectly skilled, in technique-based sparring among those under twenty, he had no equal.
In just six or seven moves, Yang Ruifeng was beaten into steady retreat, unable to defend. Xu Dewen even seized an opening, flashed behind him, and threw a punch toward his heart.
At that moment, a red shadow flashed past and easily caught Xu Dewen's fist, smiling faintly. "Let's end it here."
Yang Ruifeng turned around, let out a long sigh, and cupped his fists. "Cousin Dewen, I've lost."
"Cousin Ruifeng's strength is quite good. If you could spend more time on martial techniques, you could also improve your abilities."
Yang Ruifeng's lips curved into a bitter smile as he thought to himself: If only it were that simple.
The two came before Yang Ronghua and the Yang Shichang couple.
"Mother." Xu Dewen grinned.
"Still smiling." Yang Ronghua pulled him to her side and carefully examined the burns on his arms. "Don't be so reckless next time. Dezhao, take your brother to get treated."
"Yes, Mother."
"Mother, it's actually fine. I have some resistance to fire-attribute internal energy. It'll heal in half a day." Xu Dewen said.
"Do as you're told." Yang Ronghua said with a stern face.
"Yes, Mother."
Xu Dewen then cupped his fists and left with Xu Dezhao.
Yang Shichang watched his retreating figure. "What a good kid. So he was playing us from the start. With his martial technique attainments, plus the internal energy of a peak second-rate martial artist, if he'd gone all out, Feng'er would only have had a thirty to forty percent chance of winning."
"Did you think everyone is as simple-minded as you?" Yang Zhao laughed and scolded, then looked at Xu Chuan. "Brother Xu, it's been a long time since I've been to Dongxi. I feel it's changed quite a lot. How about accompanying me for a walk around?"
"Since Brother Yang has this interest, I shall naturally accompany you."
Once the two of them left, Bai Jing also took Lady Yang away to find a place to chat about everyday matters.
The others also gradually dispersed.
Yang Shidao sighed with emotion. "The Xu family's martial fortune is so strong. It would be hard for them not to rise. Perhaps in twenty or thirty years, they might even surpass our Yang family."
In his eyes, the Xu family lacked neither top martial experts nor excellent successors. They only lacked time.
He then returned to the guest house to continue his push toward the grandmaster realm.
Yang Zhao walked around Dongxi with Xu Chuan.
He saw the thousand mu of fertile fields, saw the village transformed to resemble a county seat, saw how everyone was spirited and bright-eyed. The smiles on their lips and the respect in their words were all genuine.
"Brother Xu, you've turned your Xu clan into something like a paradise on earth. Truly remarkable." Yang Zhao said with emotion, his footsteps pausing as he looked over. "However, putting in such effort, could it be you're really planning to have the Xu clan stay here permanently?"
"Brother Yang wants to ask if I have any thoughts of moving to the commandery city, right?"
"Indeed."
"I have no such plans for now. Though the commandery city is good, the interpersonal relationships are too complex and tangled. It wouldn't benefit my Xu family's development. Things are quite good as they are."
Yang Zhao was taken aback. He didn't think Xu Chuan was lying.
"But as the Xu family develops to a certain extent, you'll definitely need some special resources. Staying holed up here won't be beneficial.
"The commandery city is complex, but it also has advantages.
"Various families can exchange what they have, trade benefits, obtain what they want, and also form alliances for mutual assistance.
"Moreover, it's closer to the immortal cultivation families.
"Even if the Xu family has no clan members with immortal cultivation aptitude in the next two generations, after several generations, there's no guarantee one won't appear. This way, you could interact and exchange relevant resources."
"Brother Yang speaks reason. I'll carefully consider your suggestion."
Xu Chuan said indifferently. He could also see Yang Zhao's plans for the future: to have the Xu family establish themselves in the commandery city, with the Yang and Xu families becoming allies to watch over each other.
"This upheaval in the commandery city will probably cause a major reshuffling. It's the perfect opportunity for the Xu family to rise with the momentum."
Xu Chuan nodded slightly and smiled. "Mingwei has also told me this. He'll handle everything. I just need to enjoy a leisurely life."
"Ah~" Yang Zhao sighed deeply upon hearing this. "I truly envy you for having such capable children."
"Then why didn't Brother Yang have more children back then? Even if the main account is ruined, you could still level up an alt."
"Main account?"
"Country slang meaning the eldest son." Xu Chuan said with a smile.
"Then alt would be the youngest son, I suppose?" Yang Zhao mused, then smiled bitterly. "Too late for that. How old am I now? Besides, my wife and I are deeply devoted to each other. I wouldn't want another one to cause trouble."
Soon, the two returned to the Xu family main residence.
After all, Yang Zhao had finished discussing what he wanted to discuss.
The rest depended on the Xu family's choice.
Half a month later.
It was time for the annual year-end sacrifice.
The turmoil in the commandery city couldn't yet reach remote places like Qingjiang County.
Just as Yang Zhao had said, the Dongxi Xu clan truly seemed like a paradise on earth, with every household peaceful and harmonious.
They had a comfortable new year.
Just half a month later, Xu Dezhao reached innate perfection and awakened a five-element spiritual root.
Xu Deling advanced to the fifth layer of Qi Refining.
Xu Mingwei was naturally pleased upon learning this news. However, Xu Mingwei only told Xu Chuan about this matter. There was no rush to tell others, since there were still Yang family members staying with them.
At night, after an intimate encounter.
Yang Ronghua nestled in Xu Mingwei's arms and said softly, "Husband, Zhao'er is already eighteen now. It's time to consider his marriage."
"Marriage?" Xu Mingwei pondered for a moment, then said, "What are your thoughts, Wife?"
"There's no rush for the wedding itself, but we should find someone to be engaged to first. Didn't you say this period is crucial for the Xu family? Then let's wait until this period passes and things have completely settled down before having Zhao'er marry."
"You mean like Ahyuan and Rushan, get engaged first?"
"Mm." Yang Ronghua nodded slightly.
"That's not a problem. Wife, do you have a young lady in mind? Or should we have Zhao'er look first?" Xu Mingwei said with a smile.