"It's really damn cold!" the old man grumbled as the harsh winter wind lingered over the lake for months. The weather had slightly warmed in spring, but it was as cold as the winters of previous years.
The young plants stuck in the soil withered and turned yellow, not a single one survived. When the chill finally receded, summer warmed up only briefly before plunging back into a bone-chilling fall. That year, the fields yielded no crops, and the farmers, swallowing their pride, set down their hoes to forage in the mountains for food.
Old Master Xu sat in front of his house, shivering as he rubbed his hands together in the cold wind, calculating whether his family's remaining grain would last until next year. Since his father, Xu San, had passed away, he had been managing the household for over a decade and had become quite adept at it.
The Xu Family was one of the larger families in the town, although far scruffier compared to the Tian and Liu families. They had never managed a town during the era when the Li Family rose to power and had naturally declined over the years.
While the number of their family members had swollen thanks to the Li Family's exploitations of Mount Yue and absorbing refugees from the east, the family had not progressed, merely surviving year after year without any improvement.
Old Master Xu got up and strolled around the yard. After counting the grain left from the previous year, his courtyard door was knocked on twice.
"Who is it?"
"Uncle, it's me, Gongming!"
The gate creaked open, and a young man entered.
Old Master Xu stroked his beard and called out, "Gongming, come inside and sit."
As Xu Gongming entered the courtyard, he immediately said, "Uncle, have you heard? The main family is preparing to fight Mount Yue, and they are recruiting soldiers in town. There has been drumming for many days... I want to join the army. My parents, being farmers, are undecided, so they asked me to consult with you."
After Xu San's death, the Xu Family split, and each branch developed separately in town. As the eldest and somewhat educated, Old Master Xu naturally became the decision-maker of the family. He looked at the young man before him and hesitated to speak.
Xu Gongming, the only one in the family with a spiritual orifice and now at the second stage of the Embryonic Breathing Realm, became anxious seeing his uncle's silence and said in a low voice, "Uncle! No family in our town is as destitute as ours! The Liu Family has always owned lands in Jingyang and holds significant status since they are related to the ancestor of the main family through marriage. The Tian Family is thriving with many capable members controlling most spirit fields, and the Chen Family, though quiet, already boasts a Qi Cultivator... If our family is to find a way forward, it can only be through the military!"
Old Master Xu picked up a large bowl and squinted as he counted the grains inside, responding slowly, "The army is a tool for the townsfolk, but which battalion commander[1] is not from the Li Family..? Do not think it is that easy..."
Xu Gongming slumped into a shabby wooden chair, disheartened by his uncle's words which disrupted his hopeful plans. He urged hastily, "Then give me some advice... The Xu Family is about to fall into my hands, yet I feel powerless to do anything!"
Old Master Xu nodded but his face fell as he spotted a few mouse droppings at the bottom of the basket.
"If you want to join the army, that really is a good path. I do not know much about military formations or cultivation, but I can only teach you two words," he said.
"The first is loyalty."
Old Master Xu set the basket down, finally becoming serious. His face relaxed slightly, and in a low voice, he continued, "Our Xu Family once took revenge for the main family, and our contributions are acknowledged by the ancestor and current family head. Once you join the army, you will carry the name of our family and can immediately secure a decent position, thanks to the heritage left by our forebears. You must be willing to suffer wounds, and at crucial moments...even die. You need to be stern and impartial, even if it means offending others, and you must engrave this mark of loyalty deeply into the minds of those from the main family."
These words struck Xu Gongming like a hammer, and he finally understood why his parents had sent him to consult his uncle. He memorized these words carefully before asking, "And the second word is..?"
"The second is composure."
Old Master Xu, sitting beside him, stretched out his thin and bony fingers before saying softly, "The Young Master Xiu is well aware of the happenings within the family... In the army, do not seek accolades, but strive to avoid faults. When you see members of the main family, speak little, but remain silent and composed. Do not socialize too much in the army, and never promote your own family's young men. Handle everything impartially. If you can do this for twenty years, becoming a commander of a thousand is within reach. If you are lucky enough to break through to the Qi Cultivation Realm, you could become a confidant of the family head, and our Xu Family could secure a place among the various towns."
"Twenty years..." Xu Gongming mumbled as he nodded silently, then quickly expressed his gratitude. He then asked about potential questions he might face if Li Yuanxiu summoned him.
The old man answered each question while picking up the basket, before impatiently shaking the rice basket.
"Enough talking, go and prepare your things."
Although he was caught off guard by his elder's curt dismissal, Xu Gongming knew his uncle had a peculiar temperament. He quickly thanked him again then left thoughtfully.
Old Master Xu sat in the courtyard for a while and looked at the rice basket in his hand. He picked out the few mouse droppings, shook the old rice in the basket, and murmured to himself.
"This will barely suffice..."
————
"Xu Gongming..."
Li Yuanxiu opened the letter that was handed to him and read it. He recalled the situation of the Xu Family, and said softly, "This Xu Family member is the first Embryonic Breathing Realm cultivator to join the army, is he not..?"
These cultivators, having barely stepped onto the path of immortality, cherished their lives immensely. When the family issued the conscription order, revealing plans to attack Mount Yue, they did not specifically summon these cultivators.
All of them pretended not to hear what was happening outside though they were usually busying themselves with singing, dancing, banquets, and outings. Now, they all obediently stayed at home farming; none ventured out to cause trouble.
"Yes," Li Pingyi responded, watching as Li Yuanxiu pondered for a moment, flipping the letter back and forth several times. He then murmured, "The Xu Family has also contributed to our family. Over the decades, we have given them opportunities, and my father even mentioned them specifically to me, but the Xu descendants have not grasped these opportunities well... leading unsatisfactory lives."
"Xu Gongming is already outside," Li Pingyi interjected, prompting Li Yuanxiu to nod.
"Call him in."
Shortly after, a young man around twenty-five or twenty-six years old walked in. He wore a sword at his waist and had an earnest look, appearing quite straightforward.
Upon seeing Li Yuanxiu, he cupped his fist and said in a deep voice, "Xu Gongming greets the young master." After speaking respectfully, Xu Gongming stood silently with his head bowed humbly.
Li Yuanxiu inquired about his family's circumstances. Xu Gongming answered succinctly and clearly; whether he had prepared his responses in advance or was simply quick-witted, his answers were all satisfactory.
Li Yuanxiu nodded slightly and said in a gentle voice, "You may go to the barracks tomorrow."
Xu Gongming cupped his fist again, his expression solemn as he withdrew without asking further about the position he would receive, simply departing silently.
Li Yuanxiu felt an increased respect for him and murmured, "The Xu Family has had a tough time over the years... Now that they finally have a member with a spiritual orifice, it seems he wishes to serve in the military. Let's start him off as a squadron leader of a hundred; his cultivation at the second stage of the Embryonic Breathing Realm should be good enough for that role."
Most of the cultivators in the military were from the Li Family's minor sect and branches, with those at the first and second stage of the Embryonic Breathing Realm serving as squadron leaders of a hundred, and those at the third and fourth as battalion commanders of a thousand, totaling eight. With Xu Gongming, there were now nine cultivators.
As Li Yuanxiu was contemplating this, someone hurried into the courtyard. As usual, the clan soldiers kneeled one by one, laying their weapons on the ground as a gesture of respect. Seeing this, Li Yuanxiu quickly descended the steps.
Upon recognizing the figure, his face lit up with joy and he let out a loud exclamation.
"Father!"
1. The battalion commander here actually means a 1000-man commander. ☜