April 7th, Tianwu Calendar, sunny.
The Holy Monarch of the Empire issued an imperial edict announcing that in June of the Tianwu calendar, the Ou Family Champions Cup would be held. Across all regions—villages, towns, cities, and commanderies—all aristocratic clans, wealthy households, and independent cultivators under the age of thirty were eligible to participate. One victor would be decided from each commandery. The winner's family would receive the Champions Cup—a Saint Artifact forged by the Ou Family, the empire's premier weapon-crafting clan—along with three hundred Tianwu gold coins and three Longevity Pills yielding a hundred years of life. The Champions Cup was entirely silver-white, with two massive handles drooping down on either side like huge ears, earning it the popular moniker "The Big Ears Cup."
Because the Ou Family had contributed the most effort toward this tournament, the Holy Monarch personally bestowed upon it the name "Ou Family Champions Cup."
Once the single victor from each commandery was decided, the thirty-two victors across the empire's four territories and eight commanderies, together with the sixty-four total participants including eight prodigies nominated by the king of each territory, would converge in the Imperial Capital for the final capital-wide martial arts tournament. Indeed, the prodigies recommended by the territory kings could directly enter the imperial tournament without participating in preliminary bouts; after all, the strength of the aristocratic clans in the Yuwang cities far surpassed that of the commanderies' local families, and forcing them to compete in commandery-level matches would be grossly unfair to the others. Moreover, the Holy Monarch considered that remote places might also harbor prodigies whose potential was no less than that of those from major factions, merely lacking in cultivation methods and resources; hence, the preliminary bouts were set to be organized by commandery. As for the four prodigies directly nominated by the territory kings, they would certainly not hold back their true abilities—after all, everyone cared about their reputation, and who would want to finish at the bottom?
Upon receiving the news, the aristocratic clans across every commandery went wild. That was a Saint Artifact! A top-tier weapon that could only be forged by mighty beings at or above the Saintly Sage Realm. One had to know that many sects, despite possessing multiple cultivators at the Saint Entry Realm, did not own a single Saint Artifact. Yet this time, for the Ou Family Champions Cup, any young person who secured first place in their commandery would obtain a Saint Artifact—a god-given opportunity for the clans of every commandery.
Three days later.
Yijia Town, within the Mi Family's largest assembly hall.
Patriarch Mi Quebi occupied the primary seat, with Mi Queding and Mi Queying seated on his left and right respectively. Seated further down were sixteen elders, including collateral branches of the Mi Family and external retainers. The younger generation of the Mi Family had no seats; according to their age, they stood respectfully behind the elders on both sides.
Mi Lan had been dragged out of his room forcibly by You Mei. Though a bit dazed when he first arrived, once all the elders took their seats, Mi Lan's sleepiness vanished entirely, as he knew something major must be happening.
Patriarch Mi Quebi recounted the matter of the Ou Family Champions Cup, then continued: "Yesterday, Lord Commandery Governor invited the heads of all aristocratic clans in Dongshan Prefecture, including our Mi Family, to participate in a council. Lord Commandery Governor stated that in June, two years from now, the martial arts tournament will be held within the prefecture. However, we at the lower levels must gradually get things moving first. Lord Qin has decided that in June, one year from now, each city will first determine a single victor among its own, and then those city victors will formally compete against the various families within the commandery for the title of Dongshan Prefecture's top prodigy."
Mi Quebi took a sip of tea, glanced at the dozen or so elders whispering among themselves in the seats below, and went on: "Our Dongshan City Lord hopes that each family will control its headcount—after all, there is no need for an excessive number of untalented participants making up the numbers. Therefore, it has been decided that each family may send a maximum of four participants. What are your thoughts, everyone, on the four slots for our Mi Family?"
Mi Queding said: "The one among us with the highest cultivation in the Mi Family is Mi Shui, who has already reached the Seventh Layer of Great Accomplishment, which is more than enough to secure a slot. Meanwhile, my son Mi Qi is currently at the Seventh Layer of Qi Control, and Mi Li is at the Third Layer of Qi Control; both should be able to contribute their strength to the family."
"Mi Qi being at the Seventh Layer of Qi Control is barely acceptable, but Mi Li's Third Layer of Qi Control can be forgotten. Our family's Mi Fu is currently also at the Seventh Layer of Qi Control, so he can take up a slot as well, right?" The speaker was the Seventh Elder of the collateral branch, Mi Chongshan.
"I feel that my son Mi Shi, who is at the Seventh Layer of Qi Control, can also do the job," Eleventh Elder Mi Chongyun chimed in.
"Mi Feng is younger than Mi Qi, Mi Fu, and Mi Shi, yet at fifteen he is already at the Fifth Layer of Qi Control. For the competition a year from now, he can do it too." Fifth Elder Mi Chongqun expressed his refusal to accept being left out.
"Our family's Mi Yu, although she is a young lady, she can do it too." "Yuxin can do it as well." "And our Mi Family..."
A bunch of elders all felt that their own children were up to the task. And no wonder: aside from the Patriarch's son Mi Shui and Mi Lan, nearly all the other peers in the Mi Family were at the Qi Control Realm.
"Ahem." Mi Quebi gave a slight cough.
Instantly, all the elders fell silent and looked toward the Patriarch. Every elder knew that the Patriarch possessed the greatest strength and had always been fair and impartial; otherwise, he could never have led all the branches of the family with such unity and affection.
"Let's do this, then. Take one year as the limit. Including Mi Shui, on May 20th a year from now, all the children shall come. After all, we are family and there is no need for bickering and fighting. We will simply compare realms, and take the four with the highest realms to participate in this Champions Cup. Of course, if any child of the same realm or a lower realm feels very strong, they can also spar with the four of the highest realm; winning will allow them to replace them. What do you all think?" Mi Quebi said.
"Agreed." The various elders had no particular objections; what the Patriarch said was quite fair.
"In that case, Queying, starting from next month until May of next year, all the children's resource allocations will be raised by one tier and adjusted to the exact same tier. Within this year, the resources drawn for the children will be distributed regardless of contribution; everyone will be treated with absolute equality. Moreover, please rest assured, I, Mi Quebi, will absolutely never give any special favors to any single child, and will strive to treat everyone as fairly as possible," Mi Quebi instructed Mi Queying.
"The Patriarch is wise," all the elders chorused in unison.
On the very first day Mi Quebi became Patriarch, Mi Duoduo had told him that the head of a great family was never merely the head of his own immediate family, but the head of the thousands of people up and down the Mi Family—a guiding beacon meant to lead everyone forward. If one did not abandon, give up on, discriminate against, or engage in internal strife with one's clansmen, but instead treated every person and every matter fairly and justly, then even if one made a wrong decision one day and offended someone who should not be offended, all the clansmen of the Mi Family would be your strongest backing.
Therefore, being discriminated against and driven out of the family simply for lacking cultivation talent was an absolute impossibility within the Mi Family. Even if you possessed no great capability and fathered a foolish child, as long as you were willing to help the family tend to the spiritual fields every day or lend a hand in the various Mi Family shops, you would earn contribution points and receive a monthly stipend that kept you and your family free from worries about food and clothing.
Having listened to the family council, Mi Lan felt somewhat depressed. Actually, Mi Lan also wanted to participate in this martial arts tournament and contribute his share of strength to the family, but he knew that barring accidents, his turn would never come. After all, a year from now, let alone the Ninth Layer of Body Refining, even reaching the Ninth Layer of Minor Accomplishment was out of the question.
Just as he stepped through the entrance of his small courtyard, he saw Qiuhua waiting for him: "Young master, the Patriarch asks you to go to the study."
"Understood." Mi Lan turned back toward his father's study.
The door to Mi Quebi's study was open, and Mi Lan saw Mi Quebi, You Mei, and Mi Queying all inside.
"Father, Mother, Aunt." Mi Lan stepped into the study and paid his respects to the three elders one by one.
"Here is the thing: I see that Nana does not show any aversion to this marriage alliance with you. Neither of you is young anymore, so your affairs need to be put on the agenda," Mi Quebi said to Mi Lan.
"Yes, Father," Mi Lan nodded and said. Since childhood, Mi Lan had been somewhat afraid of this stern father of his, so he did not dare to say much.
"Lan'er, your father has discussed your and Nana's affair with Aunt Queying. When the time comes, you can consult with your aunt regarding what gifts to prepare before visiting Uncle Qin in the Commandery City. If Uncle Qin has no objections on his end, then we can begin preparing the betrothal gifts," You Mei said.
"Yes, yes." Thinking of Nana, Mi Lan felt a slight ripple in his heart and hurriedly nodded in assent.
"Tsk tsk, a year from now, Shui'er will claim victory in Donghai, and Lan'er will be married—truly, things couldn't be more wonderful!" You Mei spun around in place a couple of times with delight.
Mi Quebi, Mi Queying, and Mi Lan all involuntarily wore smiles as they watched a joyful You Mei.
It truly was wonderful.