Athao was a wandering cultivator with power at Martial Master level.
But without backing, advancing and surviving in this cruel martial world was extremely difficult. Athao had to struggle to survive until finally he could stumble into working for a great being like the Han Clan.
The technique he was best at was Leaf Spring Step, including stealth and covering tracks. Making him, despite being only 2nd-stage Martial Master, advance to become head of the Han Clan's reconnaissance unit.
Even Grandmaster Han Junpo praised his concealment. If not entering Heaven Sense range, even Grandmaster-level beings would hardly notice.
That's what got him this reconnaissance mission today.
This target was quite peculiar. Han Clan's intelligence network couldn't investigate any of her prior information. Only the name and power level estimated to be Grandmaster was what Athao received.
Being called Grandmaster level, Athao naturally was extremely cautious.
He appeared on one building's rooftop. Recording and reconnaissance equipment was neatly piled by him.
This building was almost two kilometers from Bai Fanxian's house. You could say farther than the Tang Clan house.
Because the target's house was a standalone home by the sea. Also surrounded by forest that was private property. Making reconnaissance quite difficult.
The first time he only came to collect location data. But who'd think that just looking through the special long-range telescope that could record images, he saw the target at the beach. But because the camera angle was blocked by the house body, he couldn't see the two little children floating cross-legged in meditation.
"...More beautiful than in the photos."
Athao murmured. Suddenly he found the target and Huang Zihan were about to start fighting abruptly.
He quickly pressed to record video immediately. The best proof was seeing with one's own eyes. Once he took this video to the head master and young master, no further analysis was needed.
The fight proceeded just briefly. Athao secretly watching from afar got chills down his spine. Because this exceeded the level he could handle.
Just that one punch of Huang Zihan's—if taking it full on, Athao believed at minimum he'd have internal injuries for a while.
He watched both exchange punches fiercely with suspense. Seeing the young woman target could dodge every attack from Huang Zihan barely, he gasped with thrill.
"She dodged them all..."
He kept watching that fight outward. After a while he clearly saw it was Huang Zihan being hit and bouncing away. And that last punch that Athao watching from afar felt was simple, but Huang Zihan couldn't set to receive at all.
"But strange... the qi bursting from her body is just Martial Master level, isn't it?" Athao was head of the Han Clan reconnaissance unit. Though this far away, he could immediately identify what level the target's power was.
Getting such unexpected information, he canceled other plans first. He needed to return to report this to the head master to discuss a round.
Athao thus packed things quietly. He thought—were Miss's bodyguards all blind to not distinguish power levels?
And before anyone realized, that building's rooftop became deserted again as if no one had ever been there.
.
.
.
Bai Fanxian stood before the two little children floating in midair. Because her qi was in their bodies, it wasn't strange she could perceive who could step into Qi Gathering stage first.
It was Tang Yeye.
At this child's meridian points appeared a small qi thread. It circulated along the path Bai Fanxian guided. After guiding one round, Bai Fanxian frowned.
This child's newly formed qi was quite peculiar.
It was fused with intense yin power until it suppressed yang element in the body completely. Bai Fanxian narrowed her eyes and immediately understood it came from using various branches of elixirs accumulated in the body. This child's body was weak since childhood because of an energy-draining parasite. Tang Tianjie the grandfather thus lavished many wondrous items and elixirs without feeling wasteful. When they accumulated together, they created this result.
Normally if living an ordinary normal life, there'd be no problem. But once stimulating until the body began creating qi on its own, its peculiarity was revealed.
It was an extremely perfect coincidence. If more than this, this child's body definitely couldn't handle it.
And the final variable was probably that elixir pill of Bai Fanxian's.
Also fusing her pure qi in until its efficacy soared many times more.
Bai Fanxian released Tang Yeye down. The little girl, though touching ground, was still in a daze. She gradually controlled qi to move along meridians naturally. Uncle Huang, who could sense it, smiled excitedly.
The Tang Clan's little miss seemed to have talent in cultivation!
If the head master knew this, he'd definitely be extremely happy.
He could immediately imagine in his head the image of Tang Tianjie carrying Tang Yeye while jumping around with joy.
Tang Yeye after a while regained awareness. The little girl turned to look left and right in surprise. She looked at her own small hands with a strange feeling.
And when sensing the small power current in her own body, the little girl smiled broadly and stood up jumping around.
Bai Fanxian was slightly surprised by this.
Normally qi and practiced techniques would somewhat affect the practitioner's personality characteristics. But this little girl with so much yin power in her body still showed a cheerful attitude without calm stillness at all.
Could her personality guide the power?
Bai Fanxian walked to touch Tang Yeye's head again to check. Though intense yin qi ran circulating in the body, it didn't create any problems for the body. Bai Fanxian was thus reassured and let the little girl continue running around.
Tang Yeye was extremely happy. She ran around until stopping at her big sister Hui'er's face who was silently closing her eyes in midair.
She looked and tilted her head in surprise.
"Big sister Hui'er still hasn't woken up?"
She turned to ask her lady standing beside.
Bai Fanxian herself was looking at Hui'er thoughtfully. Her qi current guiding along meridian points still couldn't sense even a bit of qi current arising in Hui'er.
Yes, not even a bit.
Bai Fanxian didn't rush. She let Hui'er take time as needed. But when evening came and Uncle Huang went to prepare food and returned, he still found Bai Fanxian still standing before Hui'er, with Tang Yeye standing watching beside.
Hui'er still closed her eyes. When seeing it was time, Bai Fanxian gradually placed the little girl's body down on the ground.
Hui'er not long after regained awareness. She opened her eyes to see her lady in front and Tang Yeye beside.
She looked at her own body with feelings that didn't change at all.
"It's alright... in cultivation initiation you shouldn't rush."
Bai Fanxian patted the little girl's head with a faint smile.
That made Hui'er immediately understand she'd failed.
The little girl's face dimmed instantly. And the more she learned the truth that Tang Yeye, younger than her, could successfully step into 1st-stage Qi Gathering, the more dejected she became.
"My lady..."
Bai Fanxian looked at Hui'er bowing her head. She noticed the sadness of the little girl once full of hope and couldn't help but sigh.
Sometimes fate played jokes like this.
The person who wanted and tried extremely hard never got what they wanted.
Bai Fanxian continued patting to comfort Hui'er. Small teardrops hitting the sand ground were good evidence of how sad this child was.
"Tomorrow I'll train the same way for you again. You're still very young. No need to rush."
Bai Fanxian comforted Hui'er. Making the little girl who heard look up with hopeful eyes once more.
"Can I still train?"
"Of course. When Uncle Huang first started cultivation, it took more than one month before entering Qi Gathering level." Uncle Huang himself also walked in with a smile. He took out a handkerchief and bent down to gently wipe tears for Hui'er.
He understood how the little girl felt. And the important variable making Hui'er this sad was probably Tang Yeye.
If people aren't compared, competition won't arise. But conversely, being compared can create feelings of inadequacy.
Especially if both people are in the same status.
But Uncle Huang's comfort still worked. She could smile again until Tang Yeye who was uncomfortable beside jumped in to hug.
"B-big sister Hui'er don't cry?" Tang Yeye, smaller-bodied, spoke worriedly.
"If big sister Hui'er cries... hic... Yeye will cry too."
Before long Tang Yeye began having tears appear at her eye corners. They say children's crying is contagious. Tang Yeye seeing Hui'er cry didn't know why she herself became sad too. Even though she was an extremely strong child before.
"Big sister won't cry anymore..." Hui'er hugged Tang Yeye gently. Hui'er changed sadness into determination. She looked at Tang Yeye seriously while saying:
"Yeye just went ahead of big sister. If not careful, big sister will overtake you."
Both little girls held hands walking back into the house with attitudes returned to cheerful. Uncle Huang himself also bowed to Bai Fanxian and followed both children into the house with an affectionate smile.
Leaving only Bai Fanxian still standing at the beach pondering something. While her gaze stared at Hui'er's small back until out of sight with worry.