Chapter Twenty-Two: By the Mandate of Heaven (Two-in-One)

Two days later.

Chen Yi rose early and was attended to by Green Radish, who helped him dress in a brand-new black martial outfit, draped with a red, fur-lined cloak. His shoulder-length hair was tied into a bun. In the bronze mirror, his thick-browed, large-eyed appearance looked quite handsome.

"Young Master, the weather has yet to warm up. Please remember to put on your fur cloak once you start sweating," Green Radish said, scrutinizing him from every angle, missing no detail.

"I will remember," Chen Yi replied with a smile.

When he had been abducted during the Lantern Festival, aside from Xia Wanwan, his wet nurse Green Radish had been the one to cry the most bitterly. Having raised him and cared for him with all her heart, she was little different from a biological mother. Chen Yi saw all of this and kept it in his heart. Because of this, while he sometimes felt Xia Wanwan was too soft and easily bullied, he never once thought ill of Green Radish.

"Let’s go, Young Master. Mr. Ding is already waiting outside the gate."

"Mm."

Chen Yi nodded, fiddling with his small jade sword as he stepped out. Followed by Ding Sisi and others, he headed toward the martial arts arena. Today was the day he and Chen Yuan would officially begin their martial training. In truth, his second uncle, Chen Taixing, had been preparing for this ever since the foundation-building assessment for him and Chen Yuan had concluded. However, due to his own recovery from injuries and the fact that Zhou Wanyi was nearing her due date—which required Chen Yuan to be by her side—it had been delayed until now.

It was only then that Chen Yi realized how cumbersome the rules of the Marquis’s estate were. For starters, the prohibition against female relatives approaching the training area had made Xia Wanwan sulk for an entire day. It was only after the Old Madam summoned her and offered careful comfort that her desire to follow was quelled. Otherwise, Xia Wanwan would certainly have been trailing behind Chen Yi right now.

"Good morning, Young Master Yi."

"Yi’er, make sure to listen well to your Second Uncle."

"Grand Aunt, this grandson will remember."

Along the way, everyone in the Marquis’s estate greeted him warmly, and Chen Yi responded to each one, having successfully integrated what he had learned in his etiquette lessons. Just as he passed through the central hall of the inner courtyard, he saw from a distance that Chen Taixing, Chen Lixin, and several other uncles and elders were already waiting outside the arena. It was clear the household placed great importance on him and Chen Yuan.

"Second Brother, come quickly!" Chen Yuan, who had arrived earlier, waved at him while jumping up and down.

"Wait a moment, Big Brother, I’m coming." Chen Yi replied with a smile, pausing to pay his respects to each elder as he had done before.

It was then he noticed that, besides himself and Chen Yuan, there were several other children who had just completed their foundation-building assessments. Apart from two who were the offspring of the estate's guards, the other four boys and girls were descendants of his great-uncles, Chen Lixin and Chen Lide.

"Let’s go, follow me into the arena." Seeing that everyone had arrived, Chen Taixing urged the other elders to leave first and led the children into the arena.

Chen Yi walked at the front of the group, his face showing a hint of anticipation at the thought of the tall, grotesque demon corpse inside. Although he did not fear the creature, judging by Chen Taixing’s earlier response, the children seeing it for the first time were likely to be terrified. He believed the scene to follow would be quite interesting.

"Second Brother, Mother said there is a monster inside the arena," Chen Yuan whispered, tugging at him with a fearful expression on his young face. "We must be careful."

Chen Yi glanced at him, thinking that his big brother was truly scared. He couldn't resist the urge to tease him, acting as if he didn't care: "Big Brother, don't believe such nonsense. We are in the Martial Marquis’s estate; if there really were a monster, Father and the others would have killed it long ago."

"Is that so?" Chen Yuan blinked, pondered for a moment, then lifted his little head. "Humph, it’s all that Yang Shuang and the others’ fault for talking nonsense. I’ll have Mr. Ding cane them later."

"Mm-hmm." Chen Yi stifled a laugh, nodding vigorously. "Even if there really were one, Big Brother wouldn't be afraid."

"That goes without saying, I..." Before he could finish, Chen Yuan stepped into the arena, glanced inside, and froze on the spot. The children following behind him bumped into him, and before they could even apologize, they were stunned into silence by the sight of the demonic corpse.

Seeing the fearful, vacant expressions on their faces, Chen Yi could no longer contain himself and burst into laughter. Especially Chen Yuan, who, having been tricked into letting his guard down, displayed a wealth of expressions—his smile frozen, wanting to cry but not daring to, his face full of terror, and his body trembling like a sieve. Chen Yi wished he could become a scientist and invent a camera to capture this glorious moment.

Like him, Chen Taixing at the front couldn't help but chuckle. As for the older disciples who had already been practicing in the arena, they stood beneath the demon’s body with smiles on their faces. However, when they noticed Chen Yi among the children, their smiles faltered.

"Is that Young Master Yi? Why isn't he afraid?"

"Did he not see the Demon Uncle?"

"If you don't look, you won't feel the pressure of the Demon Uncle? Any fool who thinks that would have been kicked out of the arena long ago."

Two quarters of an hour later, the terrified children were moved into the martial arts hall, though they were all limp and pale.

Well, all except for Chen Yuan, who had just returned after changing his clothes. He had recovered quickly; not only had his strength returned, but his face was flushed—with shame and indignation.

"Second... Brother!" As soon as Chen Yuan returned, he lunged at Chen Yi, waving his little fists and pummeling him. "Ya, ya, ya, Second Brother! Didn't you say there were no monsters!?"

"Give me back my pants! Give me back my pants..."

Chen Yi held his head while laughing heartily. He hadn't expected his big brother to be so scared that he wet his pants, but he was willing to "accept his punishment." After a moment, Chen Yi repeatedly "surrendered and admitted his fault," promising to let Chen Yuan skip three days of lessons, which finally calmed his "fury."

"Since you’re so well-behaved, Big Brother forgives you." Chen Yuan lifted his chin and walked to the side with an aggressive air, as if he had just won a great battle.

"Big Brother, you're the best." Chen Yi stifled a laugh again.

"That's right, even Mother says I’ve become much more sensible..."

"Alright, all of you, follow me." Seeing the annual "welcoming" ritual conclude, Chen Taixing had the other disciples resume their training and led Chen Yi and the others to a secluded corner. His face lost its smile, replaced by a grave, serious expression. "This is the kind of demon your fathers have been defending against while fighting abroad for years."

"Even though it is dead, it is enough to fill you with fear and distraction. How much more so for those that are still alive?"

"Therefore, you must remember this feeling and turn your fear into motivation!"

"Only by refining your martial arts can you protect yourselves, your loved ones, and the Great Wei Empire!"

At these words, while the three-year-old children only really grasped the word "protect," they were still greatly encouraged. Even Chen Yi, with his mature mind, deeply agreed with Chen Taixing. Just imagine, if there were such powerful demons outside the Northern Hero Pass, the Wei Empire would have been invaded and devoured long ago if it were even slightly weaker. Only by advancing in martial arts and becoming strong enough could one avoid such a fate.

"Now, sit cross-legged and wait for me to guide you into the path of cultivation."

At this, Chen Yi began to feel expectant. Before coming, Ding Sisi had already briefed him on the martial arts knowledge of the Marquis’s estate. After building a foundation at age three, they could begin practicing techniques. However, to avoid affecting their future chances of joining sects or sacred academies, they would initially only be taught a set of basic techniques. Only those who reached the age of ten and were confirmed to stay in the family would switch to more powerful, faster-cultivating methods.

For instance, in the Chen family, direct descendants could practice the family’s *Blazing Sun Art* and its accompanying spear techniques at age ten. Collateral branches and servants could choose the more moderate *Longevity Art* and various skill sets—saber, spear, staff, sword, fist, or leg techniques. It was worth noting that the reason noble families and the imperial aristocracy sought to join sects and academies was not just for the quality of the techniques, but because the locations of these sects often possessed heavenly treasures or were sacred sites for cultivation. They say, "In martial arts cultivation, if you do not advance, you retreat; one step slow means every step is slow." The ability to accelerate one’s martial progress was why these sacred sites were revered.

Not to mention those far away, the Great Sky Temple itself was a sacred site for cultivation within the Capital Prefecture. It was just that they passed down Buddhist teachings, and it was difficult for ordinary people to join. Even nobles, considering their lineage, rarely let their children join the Great Sky Temple to cultivate. After all, eating vegetarian food and chanting sutras was one thing, and enduring the suppression of desires was another, but the rule against marriage and having children was something noble families found hard to accept. Especially the Martial Marquis’s estate, which was already short on people due to years of warfare; if they didn't continue the family line, what would become of the house?

Soon, it was Chen Yi's turn.

"Sit still and don't move. Memorize this circulation path." Chen Taixing reminded him, sitting cross-legged behind him and placing a hand on his back.

Chen Yi felt a warm current flow from the palm on his back, circulating along the meridians in his body. Subconsciously, he gripped his small jade sword to prevent it from being triggered by the *Qi* and wandering on its own. After running the cycle twice, Chen Taixing removed his hand and asked, "Yi’er, have you memorized it?"

"Yes, thank you for your trouble, Second Uncle."

Not only had he memorized the circulation path, but Chen Yi could also feel a ball of warmth in his abdomen. He couldn't help but feel joyful. Although this was only a basic technique for cultivating *Qi*, for him, the change was significant. Previously, he had to rely solely on his physical body to force his sword techniques, which was not sustainable. With *Qi*, his sword mastery could finally display its true power. Like the two Human Traffickers at the Transformation Realm he had encountered earlier—if he had already mastered his technique, he wouldn't have bothered with them; he would have decapitated them with a single strike.

It wasn't until the last child had memorized the path that Chen Taixing wiped the sweat from his forehead. "That is all for today. Go back and practice diligently. I will check on you one by one tomorrow."

Guiding eight children into cultivation at once was exhausting, even for an experienced hand like him. Though he was familiar with the process—unlike the awkwardness of the foundation-building assessment—he was still worried about making a mistake. If he did, he would be a sinner.

"Yes, Chief Instructor."

The children left the arena together and were picked up by the adults waiting outside. Chen Yi and Chen Yuan also returned to Fanghua Garden, escorted by Ding Sisi and the others.

"Second Brother, I feel like my strength has increased again." Little Chen Yuan stretched his arm, unable to resist showing off. "If I had been this strong before, I bet I could have beaten you until you cried."

"Big Brother, you are truly amazing." Chen Yi played his role as a supporting act. There was no doubt about it; he was merely a foil, a heartless flattery machine. His goal was simple: to keep his big brother happy and feeling good. That way, surely little Chen Yuan wouldn't think of his pants-wetting embarrassment, right?

...

After the warm winter passed, spring arrived in the Capital Prefecture. Two months had passed since they began practicing the basic techniques, and Chen Yi’s life had become even more fulfilling. Every day, besides spending the morning in the arena, he continued to receive lessons from his tutors in the afternoon. However, the curriculum had been streamlined; subjects like enlightenment, etiquette, and review were removed to free up more time for cultivation.

In Chen Taixing’s words, "A child's future is visible at age three." If one didn't work hard at three, their future achievements would certainly be meager. Therefore, under his discipline, every child in the arena was striving desperately to refine their martial arts. Chen Yi not only had no complaints but worked even harder. To him, this was like the extracurricular classes parents in his previous life forced upon their children. The only difference was that while those classes were eventually just hobbies, martial arts could make him powerful.

That day, Chen Yi finished his lessons and opened his status panel.

[Name: Chen Yi]
[Age: 3]
[Cultivation: Mortal Realm (Lower Stage)]
[Talent: Late Bloomer — The older the bone age, the faster the cultivation speed.]
[Basic Technique: Minor Success — Drops of water gather into a river; only then does one become a great vessel.]
[Sword Mastery: Minor Success — Traverse the four corners, fight well, and use well; only then can one comprehend the Sword Intent.]
[Counter-attack Points: 18/100]

"Finally, minor success." Chen Yi looked at the newly appeared technique section on the panel and let out a long breath.

Two months had passed. Those who had been rated well during the foundation assessment, like Chen Yuan, had long since brought their basic techniques to minor success. Not only did this improve their cultivation speed, but it also strengthened their bodies more quickly, empowering them from the inside out. Even the descendants of his great-uncles had reached minor success a month ago. Only he, despite putting in more effort and heart, had taken two full months to reach this stage.

Chen Yi couldn't help it. His talent was fixed; he could only increase his cultivation speed gradually as he aged. "Late Bloomer... it really is... I could cry to death."

Just as he closed the panel and wanted to rest, Xia Wanwan’s voice came from outside.

"Yi’er, come quickly, come quickly."

"Mother, what’s wrong?" Chen Yi dressed neatly and stepped out, asking. He rarely saw Xia Wanwan this anxious and feared something else had happened to the family. He added the word "else" because there had been complications when Zhou Wanyi gave birth a while ago. Afterward, Chen Yi learned that his eldest aunt had almost died. A pity...

"The Emperor's imperial envoy is waiting in the main hall to proclaim an edict for you." Xia Wanwan could not hide her joy, pulling him along as she straightened his clothes.

"An edict?" Chen Yi was stunned. "For me?"

"Yes! Don't you remember that the Emperor said he would nurture the children of the border-defending soldiers when we were on the city wall?"

"I remember..."

Chen Yi realized that the Supreme One had finally remembered him, his background prop, and was going to reward him. Would he be used as a pawn to buy people's hearts again? Chen Yi was already accustomed to the methods of the Supreme One.

Soon, mother and son arrived at the main hall. It was already crowded with people from the Marquis’s estate; even the Old Madam, who rarely appeared, and Zhou Wanyi were standing upright at the lower end. Seeing them arrive, the Old Madam reached out and smiled, "Good grandson, come here."

Chen Yi stepped forward as told, glancing at the eunuchs at the head of the room. He didn't recognize them, but they were definitely eunuchs.

"Eunuch Liu, please begin."

"Old Madam, please excuse me." The eunuch offered a smiling face before clearing his throat, opening the gold-leaf scroll, and proclaiming loudly:

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Whereas there is Chen Yi, son of the Martial Peace Marquis, Chen Taiping..."

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