After the Order Lord left, Chu Daixi finally explained to Wangshu the meaning of the tassel.
"Disciples of the Dao Palace wear bells, masters wear jade, and the Order Lord wears a jade pendant. Both masters and the Order Lord can hang tassels from their jade—masters wear black tassels, and the Order Lord wears a red one."
"To give one's own tassel to a favored disciple is called 'bestowing the tassel,' a sign of affection and high regard. There was once a disciple of the Dao Palace who sat among the Hundred Seats, so beloved by masters and the Order Lord alike, that they wore over a dozen tassels—a legend throughout the palace."
Wangshu nodded. Got it. This is what they call "I'm everyone's favorite disciple." Some people are just born to be teachers' darlings—nothing to be done about it.
Seeing Wangshu bob her little head, the golden cicada on it fluttering its wings, Chu Daixi smiled slightly: "That disciple later, during a trial in a secret realm, was surrounded by a hundred adversaries. They were gravely wounded, fell from the Hundred Seats, and never recovered."
Wangshu: .
"A bestowed tassel is a mark of affection, but affection carries weight. The Order Lord explained this when giving you the tassel—do you understand, Wangshu?" Chu Daixi said.
"I understand," Wangshu nodded. "And I won't return it."
She carefully tucked the red tassel into her golden bangle bell, then gave it a happy little shake after putting it away.
"See, what did I tell you?" The moment the Order Lord left, Chu Qinghe perked right up, swaggering over to Wangshu and giving a little sniff with her nose. "The moment you smile, Wangshu, the Order Lord's eyes are all on you. Look—passed with flying colors!"
"That's your talent, sister—what's it got to do with me?" Wangshu blinked innocently.
Beside them, Xu Miaoying was thinking about the private message the Order Lord had sent her. She was only eight this year, not yet at the age to awaken her talent. She didn't know what her talent would be, and so she couldn't fully grasp what the Order Lord's words meant.
She felt a flicker of unease and confusion, but far more of it was joy. At least today she had earned the Order Lord's recognition—her years of hard work hadn't been for nothing.
The Dao Palace would surely send down resources now, and she hadn't let down the Xu family's "recommendation."
Looking at the clan head of the Chu family, she said obediently, "Thank you, Clan Head."
Chu Daixi gently patted the back of Miaoying's head. She knew what Yao Xiru had whispered to the child, but she didn't intend to ask.
Xu Miaoying returned to her own courtyard full of drive. After meeting the Order Lord, she wanted to grow up even more.
She wanted to awaken her divine talent soon.
Once Xu Miaoying was gone, Chu Qinghe became even more at ease. She grabbed Chu Daixi's sleeve and said cheerfully, "Clan Head, did you hear what the Order Lord said? I'm destined to walk alongside the strong."
Then she scooped Wangshu up, holding her like a banner, and declared: "Wangshu is my strong one!"
This goofball... Chu Daixi looked exasperated. She herself was already unconventional enough, but she never imagined the Chu family could produce someone even more eccentric than her.
Wangshu, lifted in the air, kept her face blank. Honestly, she didn't admire many people—but this elder sister was one of them.
From a young age, she dared to think and act. But the most impressive thing was what she'd done when she awakened her talent not long ago.
The Chu family had chosen this moment to recommend both Wangshu and Qinghe for a deliberate reason. Once the recommendation was submitted, the Dao Palace would be sure to send someone.
The family had full confidence in Wangshu—with the seal mark on her forehead, there was no way she'd be turned away.
The riskier bet was Qinghe. A violet-grade spirit seed talent wasn't bad at all, but the Dao Palace had seen far too many talented people. It would be safer if she could awaken a decent divine talent as well.
And so, the decision on the recommendation was dragged out until Qinghe turned ten—the year she truly awakened her talent.
That day, the sky was high and the clouds wide, the air crisp and clear.
Wangshu and Qinghe were undergoing their monthly spirit-seed molding. When it was done, Qinghe opened her eyes, mulled things over for a moment, and then dropped a thunderbolt out of nowhere.
"I think I've awakened my talent."
The talent Qinghe awakened was called "The Fox Borrows the Tiger's Might." Based on her vague description, the gist was that she could choose one or several targets, and when those targets unleashed their might, she could borrow their power to double her own strength.
After hearing this, Wangshu said: So that's just dog relying on owner's power, isn't it?
Qinghe was so angry she wanted to hit her. But then she remembered this was the "thigh" she'd chosen since childhood, clenched her fist, and held back. She pinched Wangshu's cheek instead and said, "Your little mouth's dipped in poison, huh! And anyway, calling it 'fox borrows tiger's might' sounds a lot nicer, doesn't it? You're my tiger, I'm your fox."
Chu Daixi, who had been the one molding their spirit seeds at the time, thought to herself: Well, then, Qinghe's talent awakened pretty damn well, didn't it?
She had an eye for these things and immediately realized—if Qinghe could find a stable source of borrowed power, her strength would be almost equivalent to her doubled strength.
And the fact that Qinghe treated Wangshu as her tiger? Perfect. Where's the problem? My little one has plenty of prestige.
Up to this point, everything was rosy. With this talent, the Chu family's recommendation was practically secured. But that very same day, Qinghe had a fit.
She dragged Wangshu straight to the Grand Elder's courtyard.
Qinghe had been strictly disciplined by the Grand Elder since childhood. Back then, Wangshu hadn't even arrived at the Chu family yet—Qinghe had been the family's one and only "hope," forced to grit her teeth through eighteen classes a day.
Compared to the expectations the Chu family—especially the Grand Elder—had heaped on her, Qinghe was remarkably clear-sighted.
Not everyone can see themselves for who they truly are; that's a great art in itself. Some people cultivate for years without grasping the door, while others are simply born with it.
Qinghe belonged to the latter category, gifted in self-awareness from a young age. She'd always known she could never become the kind of person who could hold up the Chu family's banner, as the Grand Elder so often preached. Even if she had the talent to do it, she simply didn't want to.
So from an early age, Qinghe had started scheming: wouldn't it be nice to have a little sister?
Why a sister? Well, that was just the Chu family tradition. Looking back three generations, every clan head had been a woman, and with rare exception, the girls of the Chu family always went further than the boys.
So of course, Qinghe had to pin her hopes on a sister. If a little brother came along—and his talent was worse than hers—wouldn't all her plans be wasted?
She dreamed and dreamed, and finally her sister arrived. And sure enough, her talent was even better than Qinghe's. She'd looked like a little immortal child since she was tiny.
This was the one who could hold up the Chu family's roof and let Qinghe take shelter underneath it! Without hesitation, Qinghe bet everything she had on her!
But the good days Qinghe had imagined didn't exactly arrive, because—as they say—you don't put all your eggs in one basket, and the Chu family wasn't about to stake everything on Wangshu alone.
Qinghe was absolutely fuming.
Until the day she awakened her talent. And the talent she awakened was actually called "The Fox Borrows the Tiger's Might."
"Fox borrows tiger's might." Ha!
Qinghe dropped all pretense.
Standing in the Grand Elder's courtyard, she announced in the most triumphant voice of her life:
"I told you from the start I'm not built to be the family's pillar, but you refused to believe it. Now you see it for yourself—even the talent I awakened is exactly this!"
"Divine talents are tied to personality—you taught me that yourself. So doesn't this prove my nature just isn't meant to stand on its own two legs?"
"Heaven herself has given me her seal of approval—are you still not going to give up?"
"What I say is, you should go ahead and pour all that effort into nurturing Wangshu. Isn't she precious enough already? Raise her up well—doesn't that indirectly help me too?"
Suit yourself if you want to cut loose, but why drag me into it?
Wangshu, who loved nothing more than to shine, obediently shrank into the corner of the courtyard that day, watching the Grand Elder's face turn iron-gray as he silently reached for his ruler and gave Qinghe a thorough beating.
Chu Qinghe had lain in bed for three days, and every time she let out a wail, the Grand Elder would hit her until she was completely deflated.
When Wangshu came to visit her, Qinghe grabbed her hand and said with the air of one enduring great humiliation, "Sis, once I've raised you into a tiger, let's do it again. I'll show her—"
Don't say "we." Just you.
Wangshu went "mm-hmm" and pulled the blanket up for Qinghe. "When you do, I'll be outside cheering you on."
Only after Qinghe had fully recovered and no longer seemed to have the energy to stir up trouble did the Chu family formally submit both their names to the Dao Palace. Now that the review had passed and the Order Lord's "comments" had come down, Chu Daixi was very afraid that Qinghe would feel capable again and try something another time. She pressed down on Qinghe's shoulders and said carefully, "I'll talk to the Grand Elder."
Hmph! Qinghe twisted her head away, a glint of wisdom flashing in her eyes.
None of you believe me... Just wait until I help my little sister rise to the top—then you'll all know who the real genius is!
Wangshu watched Qinghe full of life and energy, a hint of envy in her eyes. I want to know what my talent is too.
But important people always speak in riddles. The Order Lord had told her about her talent, yet it was as good as saying nothing.
Wangshu idly shook her bell, sat on the swing, and used her spiritual energy to send herself soaring, watching the clouds roll across the sky.
I can't wait to grow up.
-
Wangshu grew up. The simulator recorded every highlight in her journey forward.
Her most recent highlight was at age eight.
Wangshu awakened her talent at eight.
Unlike Qinghe, whose awakening had come naturally, Wangshu's was a bit rushed—she had forced it out herself.
[At the tender age of five, you officially became the family's chosen candidate of the Chu clan, the seal-sealing family of Yingzhou. The family poured all its resources into nurturing you, though you only received half of that full support.]
[You began to step out of your home, and the name Chu Wangshu gradually became known to the outside world.]
[Achievement unlocked: "Half Support," "A Sliver of Fame." Genius Points +100]
[You received a red tassel from the Order Lord of the Dao Palace, along with a comment that said everything and nothing: "Her innate divine ability is related to the essence of creation."]
[Achievement unlocked: "A Big Shot's Evaluation of Talent." Obtained genius outfit item: "The Order Lord's Gifted Tassel."]
[As a pseudo-genius already on the path, you received full investments from some angel backers. But the weight of expectation pressed down on you, and you realized that relying only on a violet-grade spirit seed might not be enough to meet those hopes. You sought a new breakthrough—such as awakening your talent.]
Wangshu: Glad you know. So can you give me something real?
The simulator fell silent.
Useless.
Wangshu decided to rely on herself.
When Wangshu was eight, Chu Qinghe was already thirteen. She had always been tall, and now she was beginning to show the clear silhouette of a young woman.
After awakening her talent, Qinghe's cultivation advanced rapidly. She had reached the ninth rank and could ride the air. But she was still young and her spiritual energy reserves were thin, so she couldn't stay airborne for long—especially while carrying someone.
"Sis, you look so small, why are you so heavy?" Qinghe hooked her hands under Wangshu's armpits, carrying her through the sky like an eagle clutching its prey in its talons. Her flying was clumsy, her load-bearing even clumsier, lurching every which way.
Wangshu watched the family compound shrinking below them, her delicate face utterly calm.
She said, "I've always been heavy. Can you handle it or not?"
"A real woman never says 'can't.'" Qinghe got fired up and flew higher, craning her neck.
At a certain altitude, the cold mist of the clouds brushed against their cheeks, and Qinghe felt she'd hit her limit. "Is this high enough?"
Wangshu said yes. But Qinghe didn't dare let go. "Maybe we should think of another way. You're still little—people normally don't awaken their talent until they're ten."
Wangshu said, "But I'm supposed to be the pillar of the Chu family. If I'm not special, if I don't have a sharp head and a pointy crown, how am I supposed to hold this family up?"
True.
Wangshu continued, "And others awaken their spirit seeds at five. I did it at three. I've always been different."
Right.
Qinghe nodded in agreement. The moment she'd laid eyes on Wangshu, she'd known this girl was destined for great things.
The two sisters both had crooked ways of thinking, but somehow they fit together perfectly.
Qinghe was convinced, and got to the important part: "Did you bring the Body Lightening Talismans and Water Shield Talismans?"
Wangshu: "All here. Ten Body Lightening Talismans, ten Water Shield Talismans."
"Good!" That was also why Qinghe had dared to agree to Wangshu's reckless plan. The Chu family was wealthy, and both family "candidates" had plenty of good things in their possession.
And worst came to worst, even if all of Wangshu's talismans somehow failed, Qinghe still had a high-speed flying artifact in her golden bangle bell. It would be enough to catch Wangshu in time. Of course, there would be a beating afterward.
"I'm letting go now, okay?" Qinghe said.
"Let go!" Wangshu calmly looked down at the lake surrounding Yingzhou Island below, vast and blue, with the tolerance of the sea.
The wind howled as she fell. Wangshu spread her arms wide, forcing her eyes open.
She wanted to see all of this.
She wanted to fly high, wanted to dive deep.
At the line where sea and sky met, in the crack between heaven and earth, Wangshu embraced the world.
Splash.
At Zhaoxi Pavilion, Chu Daixi suddenly frowned and set down her brush. Her spiritual sense swept outward—Wangshu wasn't napping in her room. She went deeper. She wasn't hiding in the plum garden with Qinghe, causing trouble either.
All quiet...
Chu Qinghe stood on a golden flying disc, hovering low over the lake's center. Her face was pale as she watched Wangshu surface from the water.
A ring of golden light wrapped around her—the Water Shield spell at work.
"Why did you use the talisman so late?" Qinghe said. She'd nearly died of fright watching Wangshu plunge toward the water without using the Body Lightening Talisman.
"If I'd used it earlier, I wouldn't have felt it." Only then did Wangshu pull out the Body Lightening Talisman and press it to herself. She climbed out of the water and stood naturally on the surface.
The corners of her mouth curved upward. She looked up at Qinghe hovering in front of her and tossed out a light remark:
"I awakened my talent."
"Huh?" Qinghe's mouth fell open.
Wait, that actually works?
Qinghe started to wonder if she should try the same thing, maybe her talent would improve or something.
Suddenly, a familiar voice came from above.
"Qinghe... what are you doing?"
The Grand Elder was hovering in the air, frowning down at her. Beside her stood the clan leader, hands behind his back.
Qinghe, terrified, toppled off the golden disc. Wangshu grabbed her, and the power of the Body Lightening Talisman linked them. The two of them crouched obediently on the water's surface.
Wangshu blinked, and before anyone could speak, she said, "My sister helped me awaken my talent."
"We tried many methods. Just now—it worked."
Qinghe kept her head lowered, watching fish swim beneath her.
She curled her lips in secret.
Sis. You're my lifesaver!
