Chapter Five: Azure Spirit Elixir

In the early morning, as brilliant sunlight poured into the small room, its simple furnishings seemed especially bright.

On the bed, a handsome young man lay with his eyes open, leaning against the headboard, his face clouded with gloom.

“I’ve called so many times. Surely the teacher should answer by now. Don’t tell me he’s having some kind of dream,” he muttered to himself.

Just as he was lost in these random thoughts, a sudden knock came at the door.

Shaking off his mischievous musings, he quickly dressed and went to open it.

The moment the door swung open, a graceful young girl appeared before him. Her features were exquisitely delicate, her eyes bright, teeth like pearls. Dressed in a blue gown that wrapped around her already shapely figure, she stood in the sunlight like a budding green lotus, making the boy momentarily dazed.

“Brother,” she called, her eyes instantly curving into crescent moons as she smiled, a natural aura of intelligence and spirit radiating from her.

“She’s getting more and more beautiful,” he thought to himself, recognizing the girl as Ye Ling. Smiling, he said aloud, “Ling’er, why are you knocking on my door so early?”

“Uncle wants you. He told you to go to the clan hall. I still have some embroidery to finish, so I’m off. Don’t forget to find Uncle later,” she replied, then hurried away.

Watching her figure disappear around the bend in the road, Ye Cheng couldn’t help but smile wryly at the typical fondness girls had for embroidery. He turned back inside, washed his face simply, and then headed to the clan hall.

A short while later, Ye Cheng arrived at the entrance of the Ye Clan’s main hall. He gently pushed open the brown doors. Inside, a middle-aged man in a brown robe—calm and dignified—stood with his back to the door, hands clasped behind him. This was the current head of the Ye Clan, Ye Cheng’s uncle, Ye Hong. Beside him, Ye Zhan was quietly conversing with him, several elders standing nearby.

Below them, about a dozen fifteen-year-old Ye clan youths stood in two rows, quietly waiting. Occasionally, a low murmur of conversation could be heard.

At the sound of the door opening, the youths turned in unison. When they saw who entered, some faces immediately revealed looks of disdain—these were clearly those who had already awakened their bloodlines. The others, who had not yet done so, looked on with expressions of shared misfortune.

In this world, lacking strength nearly equated to lacking dignity—one had to endure looks of contempt at every turn.

At the front of the line, Ye Wei stared at Ye Cheng with open hostility, gloating to himself: “This is probably the last time you’ll be able to set foot here. Let’s see how you compete with me after this.”

Hearing Ye Wei’s low mutter, Ye Zhan’s face darkened, and he turned to glare fiercely at him.

“This little rascal—” Ye Zhan was about to scold the arrogant youth, but Ye Hong held him back, shaking his head gently. “Let the younger generation settle their own affairs.”

At that, Ye Zhan restrained himself.

Ye Cheng, accustomed to such looks, ignored them and quietly took his place at the end of the line, waiting in silence. Over the next ten minutes or so, a few more clan youths arrived.

“Clan leader, nearly everyone is here,” the Fifth Elder said after a quick headcount.

Ye Hong’s gaze swept casually over the assembled youths, lingering briefly when it landed on Ye Cheng. Clearing his throat, he announced, “I have something to inform you all. In two months, you will come of age. According to the rules of our Ye Clan, you must undergo the coming-of-age trial. All of you present must participate. Those who pass the ceremony may remain in the main clan, and we will continue to provide resources for your cultivation. Those who fail will be assigned, according to their abilities, to various clan-run enterprises. Do you all understand?”

“We understand!” the clan youths replied in chorus.

“You still have two months—use them well. Perhaps some of you will make a breakthrough.” He glanced at the anxious faces, offering reassurance, his gaze lingering briefly on Ye Cheng. At that moment, however, Ye Cheng was barely listening, his mind occupied with Old Mu’s promised solution to his physical problem.

Hearing this, many of the youths silently vowed to train hard for the next two months.

“That’s enough for today. You’re dismissed,” Ye Hong said with a wave of his hand, then looked in Ye Cheng’s direction.

As the clan youths gradually filed out, Ye Cheng was about to follow when a familiar voice sounded in his ear: “Stay here. Your uncle wants to speak with you after everyone else leaves.”

Ye Cheng halted and waited quietly. Within minutes, only he and the two middle-aged men remained in the hall.

Standing before the two uncles who had cared for him and his sister, Ye Cheng bowed respectfully. “Uncle, you asked for me?”

“Xiao Cheng, you’ve had a tough couple of years, haven’t you?” Ye Hong said, his eyes softening as he looked at the boy who resembled his younger brother.

“It wasn’t so bad. I didn’t find it too hard,” Ye Cheng replied, touched by his uncle’s genuine concern, and eager to spare them worry.

Ye Hong smiled faintly, thinking to himself how the boy’s unyielding nature was so like his father’s. Then, pulling a delicate white porcelain vial from his sleeve, he handed it to Ye Cheng. “Your third uncle and I bought this at auction a few days ago—for your cultivation. We still don’t know what’s wrong with your body, but this may help.”

Ye Cheng accepted the bottle and uncorked it. A strong, metallic scent immediately assaulted his nose.

“Qing Ling Elixir,” came Old Mu’s ancient voice in Ye Cheng’s mind.

Ye Cheng’s expression changed abruptly, a note of disbelief in his voice: “Is this Qing Ling Elixir?”

He had read about this potion in the clan’s ancient records. It was a grade-three elixir, renowned for enabling those who had not awakened their bloodlines to use its energy to stimulate their blood and unlock their potential. The energy contained in one vial was enough to help someone form more than ten bloodlines.

“Well, you certainly know your stuff—just from the smell,” Ye Hong said, surprised but with a wry smile.

Ye Zhan, too, was taken aback; he hadn’t expected the boy, who had never seen an elixir before, to identify it at a sniff—he himself had only seen it a handful of times.

Realizing he’d spoken too hastily, Ye Cheng quickly covered, “I’d only heard others say this potion had a strong, bloody scent. I just guessed.” Seeing his elders didn’t press further, he quickly changed the subject. “But Uncle, this is quite precious.”

“Take it, it will help you,” Ye Hong insisted.

Ye Cheng was about to hand the vial back when Old Mu’s voice sounded again in his mind, making him pause awkwardly. “But since you insist, Uncle, I’ll accept it.”

Ye Hong smiled.

Ye Zhan chimed in heartily, “That’s more like it! There’s no need for such formality with your uncles. Even if it doesn’t work, just stick with me and I’d like to see who dares bully you!”

Ye Cheng grinned at his boisterous third uncle. “Thank you, Uncle, Uncle Hong. In two months, I won’t let you down—and I won’t shame my father’s name.”

“That’s the spirit—just like your father,” Ye Zhan said with a laugh.

“Then I’ll take my leave.” Now that Old Mu was awake, Ye Cheng, eager to cultivate his bloodline, couldn’t wait any longer. He bowed to his elders, and when they nodded, he returned to his small room.

In the vast hall, only Ye Hong and Ye Zhan remained.

“Big brother, do you think the potion will work for him?” Ye Zhan asked, watching Ye Cheng’s departing figure.

“It’s hard to say. Even our father couldn’t diagnose his condition. All we can do is hope for his fortune,” Ye Hong replied bitterly.

“If only our second brother were here—he might have found the cause…”

…