NOVEL NEXT Chapter 259: Three Peerless Talents in One Family!
Chapter 259: Three Peerless Talents in One Family!
The cultivation talent test was held in the imperial palace. Just from the location, it was clear that only the children of nobles and high-ranking officials could participate. There was no way for commoners to enter the palace.
Xu Lian, Liu Qing, A-Xian, and Wang Heng, as the quadruplets of the Marquis of Yong’an, were born into a standard noble family and naturally had the qualifications to participate.
So.
Early in the morning, the Marchioness of Yong’an woke up her four six-year-old children, bathed them, dressed them up, and made them look like four porcelain dolls, delicate and adorable.
The four children exchanged glances, smiled softly, and seemed very well-behaved.
In fact, they were.
In the past six years, the four children had never cried or made a fuss, and they had never even wet the bed.
Because of this, the Marchioness of Yong’an had even complained, saying that the four children were too well-behaved, making her feel like she hadn’t experienced being a mother.
However, the Marquis of Yong’an was delighted. In his view, auspicious signs were auspicious signs, and it was normal for them to be different from ordinary children.
After breakfast, they took a short walk to aid their digestion, and then the Marquis and Marquise of Yong’an took the four children out of the mansion.
They boarded a luxurious carriage and were escorted by a team of guards to the imperial palace.
Upon arriving at the palace.
They reached the place where the cultivation talent test ceremony was being held.
Many people had already gathered here, all of them nobles and high-ranking officials without exception.
“Brother Lian, my mother has made osmanthus cakes. Here, have some.”
A seven or eight year old girl, delicate and adorable, carrying a small food box, walked over.
Of course, after the four children were born, the Marquis of Yong’an had given them names. However, as soon as the children were able to speak, they asked for their names to be changed. Since the four children were auspicious signs, the Marquis did not object. So, except for the surname of the Marquis of Yong’an, their names remained the same as before.
Seeing this little girl, Liu Qing and A-Xian lowered their heads and shook their shoulders, obviously trying to suppress their laughter.
Since Xu Lian was the eldest legitimate son, he would inherit the title of Marquis of Yong’an in the future according to the empire’s etiquette.
Therefore, the Marquis and Marquise of Yong’an had arranged a child marriage for their eldest son with the granddaughter of Duke Wu Ling, who was considered a high match.
“Thank Auntie for me.”
Xu Lian took the food box, opened it, and picked up a piece of osmanthus cake to eat. He knew the little girl’s personality; if he didn’t eat, she would keep pestering him.
Sure enough, when the little girl saw him eating with relish, she happily jumped back to Duke Wu Ling’s side.
“The Emperor and Empress have arrived!”
With the eunuch’s melodious announcement, a grand procession approached.
The nobles and high-ranking officials all bowed in greeting: “Long live the Emperor, long live the Empress.
“Rise, my dear subjects. Please be seated.”
The Emperor was very young, probably only seventeen or eighteen years old, with a gentle smile. He had just begun to rule and needed the support of the nobility, so naturally he wouldn’t be neglectful.
The Empress, who was also smiling, was slightly older, around twenty years old.
Throughout history, empresses were usually a little older than the emperor to make it easier for heirs to be born.
In fact, it wasn’t just the royal family.
Noble families were the same; the main wife was usually two or three years older to facilitate childbirth, while concubines were, of course, the younger and more beautiful the better.
Thus, being able to marry an older main wife… was often a symbol of wealth and status.
After the emperor and his subjects were seated according to their rank, they began to chat and laugh.
Of course, the cultivation test ceremony wasn’t the place to discuss state affairs. The conversation was about more festive topics.
The Emperor and Empress called out the names of the nobles one by one and offered their blessings.
When it was the Marquis of Yong’an’s turn, the young emperor smiled and said, “Marquis of Yong’an, your four children are a rare auspicious sign for the empire. I look forward to their talents and hope that they have good cultivation potential so that they can join the Holy Land and become a pillar of the Empire.”
The Marquis and Marquise of Yong’an rose from their seats and bowed.
The Marquis said, “Thank you for your blessing, Your Majesty. I also look forward to it and hope that the four children do not disappoint you.”
“Good, I await with anticipation.”
The young emperor praised them and then began to call out the names of other marquises, offering similar blessings.
From the order in which the young emperor called out the names, Xu Lian could tell that Duke Wu Ling was the first among all the dukes, holding the highest rank among them. The Marquis of Yong’an was also the first among all the marquises, indicating that his family’s status was exceptionally high.
“Whoosh!”
A sound like a rocket being launched came from the distant sky. A white dot appeared on the horizon.
It rapidly grew larger.
Soon.
It arrived at the palace, revealing an immortal-like old man.
Xu Lian, Liu Qing, A-Xian, and Wang Heng all looked at him with strange expressions. Flying on a sword with such a loud noise… clearly indicated that his cultivation level wasn’t very high.
Truly powerful cultivators could fly on swords without leaving a trace, or even teleport directly through space.
“Greetings, Immortal Master.”
The young emperor and the nobles did not dare to be careless. They all stood up and bowed respectfully to the sky.
“No need for formalities.”
The old man waved his hand, sheathed his sword, and landed gracefully.
After the young emperor invited the old man to take a seat, he glanced at the old eunuch standing beside him.
The old eunuch immediately raised his voice and announced in a melodious tone, “The cultivation talent test ceremony begins now!”
The nobles sent their children to the center of the venue and lined up according to their status.
Duke Wu Ling’s granddaughter stood in the front row, occasionally looking back at Xu Lian, “Brother Lian, don’t be nervous.
“…” Xu Lian said, “I’m not nervous. The Immortal Master is coming. Stand properly.”
The little girl said, “Oh,” and stopped looking at him.
The so-called cultivation talent test was actually only two processes.
The first process was to check one’s bone age.
The second process was to use a round, palm-sized jade pendant and wave it around the children’s heads.
If they had cultivation abilities, the jade pendant would glow.
The brighter the light, the higher the cultivation energy.
“This one has no talent.
“This one has none either.”…
The old man checked the bone age with one hand and held the jade pendant with the other.
Upon hearing the Immortal Master’s words, the expressions on the faces of the nobles changed from anticipation to disappointment, and then to acceptance. Cultivation talents were rare, often found in only one or two people out of a thousand. It was normal not to have a talent for cultivation.
And this was true for the children of nobles. For commoners, the odds were even lower-one in ten thousand.
“This one has some talent, but not much.”
When the old man reached a little boy, the jade pendant circled the boy’s head and emitted a faint glow, like that of a firefly.
Still, the little boy was overjoyed and jumped up, “I can cultivate!”
The boy’s father, a count, ran over excitedly and lifted the boy into the air.
The count’s wife was so happy that she cried.
“Good, good.”
The young emperor smiled and praised them, though a hint of envy flashed in his eyes. Even he didn’t have any cultivation talent. If he did, he wouldn’t be staying in the mortal world as an emperor; he would have been selected to cultivate in the sacred land.
The empire and the holy land had an interdependent relationship.
One of the empire’s ancestors had become an important figure in the Holy Land, and he wielded considerable influence. Therefore, no cultivator would dare to make trouble for the empire.
Moreover, the Empire had been sending new disciples to the Holy Land for generations. As long as the emperor maintained good relations with the nobility, the empire’s position in the mortal world was unshakable.
“This one has quite good talent. A promising seedling for cultivation.”
When the old man reached Duke Wu Ling’s granddaughter, the jade pendant circled around her head and emitted a bright light.
Duke Wu Ling’s family was naturally overjoyed.
However, the Marquis and Marquise of Yong’an were a bit worried. Duke Wu Ling’s granddaughter had been tested and found to have considerable cultivation talent, meaning that she could go to the Sacred Land to cultivate and become a lofty immortal. If their eldest son didn’t have any cultivation talents, he might not be a suitable match for her. This made the couple look at Xu Lian with concern. Although they had been boasting about the auspicious signs, when it came to such a critical moment, whether the auspicious signs would work was up to fate.
“Immortal Master Grandpa, I have a request.”
The little girl said, “When you take me to the holy land to cultivate, can you take Brother Lian with you?”
The Marquis and Marquise of Yong’an were deeply moved. What a good child.
However, Duke Wu Ling’s family frowned. This was a bit inconvenient. They could only hope that the eldest son of the Marquis of Yong’an would also have cultivation talents, so that the arranged marriage would still hold.
The old man was stunned, “Who is your Brother Lian?”
The little girl turned around and pointed at Xu Lian.
The old man didn’t follow the order anymore and walked directly to Xu Lian, holding the round jade pendant and circling it around Xu Lian’s head.
The round jade pendant showed no reaction, clearly indicating that Xu Lian had no cultivation talent.
This put the old man in a difficult position. After pondering for a moment, he said to the little girl, “According to the rules of the Sacred Land, those without cultivation talents cannot join. However, since your cultivation ability is exceptional, I can make an exception for you. I’ll take him with me. Once we’re in the sacred land, whether he can become a cultivator will depend on his own fortune.”
The little girl was overjoyed, “Thank you, Immortal Master Grandpa.”
Xu Lian was also somewhat moved, but he had plans of his own. Without using his memories to exchange for cultivation talents, going to the sacred land would be pointless. Moreover, it would mean encountering “other outsiders” too early, which would put him at a disadvantage. He had no intention of going to the Holy Land.
Xu Lian gave the little girl an apologetic look, “Thank you for your kindness, Sister Ling. Since I don’t have any cultivation talents, I won’t disturb the holy land. It’s better for me to stay and accompany my parents.”
The little girl became worried, “When we grow up, don’t you want to be with me?”
Xu Lian said, “Let’s talk about that when we grow up.”
The little girl pouted, and with a loud “wah,” she burst into tears.
Duke Wu Ling’s family rushed over to comfort the little girl, their expressions complex as they looked at Xu Lian. Deep down, they were grateful to the eldest son of the Marquis of Yong’an for not dragging their precious daughter down.
Perhaps thinking that Xu Lian was upset as well, the Marquis and Marchioness of Yong’an came over and hugged him to comfort him.
The old man returned to the task at hand and continued to test the cultivation talents one by one. Most of them showed no cultivation talents at all.
When it was Liu Qing’s turn, the round jade pendant erupted with a radiant light as bright as the sun. The old man was stunned.
The young emperor and the nobles were also stunned.
How could it be so bright?
What kind of cultivation ability was this?
“Peerless talent!”
The old man exclaimed, overcome with excitement and momentarily losing his composure.
Liu Qing just smiled, as she had expected this. The cultivation talent she had exchanged with her memories couldn’t possibly be ordinary.
The Marquis and Marquise of Yong’an were overjoyed. Although their eldest son had shown no cultivation talent, their second daughter had more than made up for it, not only restoring the family’s honor but also delivering such a wonderful surprise!
To be praised by the Immortal Master as having an unparalleled talent had only happened a handful of times in the history of the empire!
After a long time.
The old man finally regained his composure and began testing the next person, A-Xian.
The result… the round jade pendant once again erupted with a radiant light as bright as the sun!
The old man was once again stunned.
The young emperor and empress couldn’t help but cluck their tongues in amazement.
The nobles were so envious that their eyes turned red. Two incomparable talents in one family – from now on, the Marquis of Yong’an would no longer be an ordinary marquis. Because of his two daughters, he would undoubtedly become a significant figure in the Empire.
This was too much… The old man took a deep breath to steady himself.
When he tested Wang Heng, the round jade pendant erupted with radiant light yet again. The old man was completely stunned. Three incomparable talents in a row, this was unheard of, unseen!
The emperor, the empress, and the nobles were also stunned!
Three incomparable talents in one family!
The Marquis and Marquise of Yong’an were overjoyed, but at the same time, they looked at their eldest son, Xu Lian, with concern. Among the quadruplets, the three younger siblings all had incomparable talents, while the eldest son had none. They were worried that he might take it too hard.
The couple hugged Xu Lian again to comfort him. Xu Lian was deeply touched. They were truly good parents. They didn’t neglect him just because he had no talent; instead, they cared for him even more.
The old man took Liu Qing, A-Xian, Wang Heng, Duke Wu Ling’s granddaughter, and a count’s son with him.
Except for the Marquis and Marquise of Yong’an, everyone else looked at Xu Lian with strange expressions. Among the quadruplets, the three younger siblings all had peerless talents, while he alone had none. This made him stand out in an unusual way.