Rizz Taoist Master

Fang Zheng's trying to tune out the gossip, his breathing ragged. Fang Yuan, thanks to his 500 years of experience, is noticing everything. He sees right through his aunt and uncle's schemes. Giving him Shen Cui, giving Fang Zheng an old nurse – it's all designed to sow discord between them. People don't care if they get less, they care if it's unfair.

In his past life, Fang Yuan was too naive, and Fang Zheng was too easily manipulated.

Their aunt and uncle played them like a fiddle. The Awakening Ceremony is coming up, and things look like they're headed the same way.

But Fang Yuan's not the same guy anymore. He could crush Fang Zheng, take Shen Cui for himself, and destroy his aunt, uncle, and the elders.

He knows hundreds of ways to do it. "But," he sighs, "I don't feel like it." So what if Fang Zheng's his brother? No blood relation, no loyalty. He could ditch him in a heartbeat. So what if Shen Cui's cute? No love, no loyalty, just a body.

Not worth the effort. So what if his aunt, uncle, and the elders are annoying? They're just background noise.

"If you don't mess with me," Fang Yuan thinks, "I don't mess with you. Just stay out of my way." He couldn't care less about them.

There was only one thing that mattered to him: the grind. The grind to eternal life.

The sun's up, shining bright. The mountain fog's light, easy to see through.

A hundred or so fifteen-year-olds are hanging out in front of the clan pavilion.

It's a huge, five-story building with pointy roofs, right in the middle of the village. Super important place.

Clan meetings, ceremonies, all the big stuff happens here. The academy alpha, a white-haired dude, leads the teens into the pavilion. But they don't go upstairs, they go down.

Through a secret entrance, down a stone staircase, into a cave. The kids are amazed. Sparkly stalactites everywhere, rainbow lights, very magical. Fang Yuan's just taking it all in. He's thinking, "Centuries ago, the Gooner Yue clan moved here from the Central Continent. They found a spirit spring in this cave, and that spring is where all the skibidi stones come from. Basically, the foundation of the whole village."

They walk for a while, it gets darker, and they can hear water. They turn a corner, and BAM! Underground river. 

The stalactite lights are gone, but the river glows blue, like a mini Milky Way. Crystal clear water, you can see the fish and plants. Across the river is a sea of moon orchids. Blue and pink, shaped like crescent moons, stems like jade, centers glow like pearls. In the dark, it looks like a giant blue-green carpet covered in sparkly things. Moon orchids are Gu food.

This flower sea is the clan's biggest cultivation resource, Fang Yuan thinks. "Wow, so pretty!" the kids are saying. They're all excited and nervous.

"Alright, listen up! I'll call your names, and you'll cross the river to the other side. The farther you walk, the better your talent. Got it?" the alpha says. 

"Got it!" the kids reply. They all know the drill. Farther = better = brighter future. 

"Gooner Yue Chen Bo!" the elder calls. Chen Bo steps into the flower sea, looking serious. He feels a weird pressure, like an invisible wall. The flowers at his feet glow white, the light goes into his body, and the pressure eases up a bit. He pushes forward, but after three steps, the wall's back, harder than ever. He can't go any farther. The elder sighs and records the result: "Gooner Yue Chen Bo, 3 steps, no Gu Master talent, big yikes! Massive L plus ratio!" 

Chen Bo's face is white. He walks back, defeated. No talent means he's just a regular dude, low status in the clan, even worse off than a beta. 

It's a huge blow. Everyone's staring. Next up: Gooner Yue Zao Xie. He only makes it four steps. Also no talent. Not everyone can be a Gu Master. 

Usually, it's like five out of ten kids. In the Gooner Yue clan, it's better, like six out of ten. That's because their ancestor was a legendary cultivator. Good genes, basically. 

Two fails in a row, and the alphas watching in the shadows are not happy. Even the clan chief alpha's frowning. 

Next: Gooner Yue Mo Bei. A tall, horse-faced kid in linen robes steps forward. He crosses the river easily. Ten steps, twenty steps, thirty steps.

The little lights keep going into his body. He makes it all the way to 36 steps before he's stuck.

The kids are watching, eyes wide. The alpha's pumped now. "Gooner Yue Mo Bei, B-grade talent!" he shouts. "Come here, let me check your Primeval Sea."

Mo Bei walks over, the elder puts his hand on his shoulder, closes his eyes, and checks. Nods. Writes it down: "Gooner Yue Mo Bei, Primeval Sea six by six, excellent potential."

Talent is graded A to D. D-grade kids can become Rank 1 Gu Masters after three years. C-grade kids can become Rank 2 after two years. B-grade kids are special. They often become alphas. After six or seven years, they'll be Rank 3. A-grade? That's the jackpot. One A-grade kid is a huge win for the whole clan. Ten years, and they could be Rank 4! Clan chief alpha material! So, yeah, Gooner Yue Mo Bei is basically guaranteed to be an alpha.

The academy alpha's thrilled. The alphas watching are relieved, but also low-key jealous. Especially Gooner Yue Mo Chen, Mo Bei's grandpa. He's grinning, taunting his rival, Gu Yue Chi Lian, "My grandson's pretty good, huh, Chi Lian?"

Chi Lian, a red-headed dude, just grunts. He's not happy. An hour later, half the kids have been tested. Lots of C and D grades, and a bunch with no talent at all.

"Ugh, the bloodline's getting weak," the clan chief alpha sighs. "We haven't had any Rank 4 masters in ages. The fourth generation clan head was Rank 5, but he died with the Flower Wine Monk and didn't make any crotch goblins. The Gooner Yue clan's talent is fading." Just then, the academy elder calls out, "Gooner Yue Chi Chen!"