Family Developments
Years later...
Ye Gu wondered what's up all these years with his foolish daughter and his granddaughter who was thrown out by her own father to keep his new wife happy.
Huangyu learned the heartbreaking way why he absolutely said no to her marriage and came home thoroughly crushed and heartbroken.
Then what happened on that wedding day astonished him. 'Something' possessed the infant and destroyed the nanny's arms and called out the married couple on their shit, before using some sorcery to help Huangyu escape, but the entity couldn't stay for long as a baby's body is too frail for it to stay any longer. After that, he confirmed that his grandchild's soul is 'shaky' in her body due to possession that he helped the girl with his own ki, before punishing his foolish, headstrong daughter. Genius she may be, but she was a poor judge of character that greatly cost her.
Her daughter is innocent of all matters, so he was kind to Lingyue whenever he could. Huangyu however, had trouble choosing the right words to name her daughter with.
When Lingyue turned three, he began watching over her in his spare time from the trees to see how Huangyu raises her.
The only time they show up is during a Family New Year's Eve, but they hardly talk to anyone. In fact, after obligatory attendance period, they vanish.
His granddaughter was wary of everyone and distrustful. She was a young beauty with ruby-red eyes. He was sure that Hong bastard has silver eyes and nobody in the Ye family has such jewel-like eyes. Their Ye Family has either the trademark amber eyes, or kids inherit their maternal family traits.
However, each year, the two females change.
Due to the injury caused by Granny Zhang, Huangyu's cultivation regressed as she spends her ki to keep her life. And she spent years being a mother but Lingyue...
At age six, the girl is a 5th Constitutional Level!
What did Huangyu do? Or was Lingyue this talented?
Age 7, 9th Constitutional Level. Huangyu would say because Lingyue stops to get used to her new body developments and studies her books.
Age 8, she's already a step into Lower Celestial Level. What talent! A greater talent than her own mother! Only then did she begin learning Martial Skills all martialists in Daxia worth their salt must know as children, and mastered her body before learning family arts.
One summer, when she was Mid-Lower, he called them to his home, and had Lingyue spar with him. Her movements, reflexes and reaction time were far beyond a normal eight year old's ability. And she's a Lower Celestial Level, evident in her appearance alone. Yet as of now, Liuyun, her older cousin by two years, is at 9th Constitutional Level everyone thought she was family genius and Huangcheng is bragging about it...and here's Huangyu, hiding her kid in the shadows.
Because she long surpassed one of the requirements to get into the Martial Shrine, he allowed Lingyue to pick an art of her choice.
One Requirement was winning the tournament in their Martial Hall, and the other reaching 5th Constitutional Rank.
Lingyue...took long in getting out that got Ye Gu, his son Huangshu and daughter Huangyu worried.
She came out at sundown, looking tired and with one book.
'Did you find one you like, Lingyue?' Huangshu asked her while sweatdropping. 'You took quite a while in there.'
'Because most arts are for stiff, rigid bodies in exchange for strength!' Lingyue whined in frustration. 'There's only this one for flexible graceful swift-movers like me!' she complained, waving the old book she got. The book was titled aptly 'Fist of Elegance'.
'Ahhh be careful with that book, it's ancient it easily rips now!' Huangshu panicked in fear of a powerful kid damaging a frail old, but precious book by waving it around.
'Humm...that's food for thought.' Ye Gu frowned. There are different body types that not all arts are suitable for everyone. He would have to look for such manuals in the future. But that'd mean spending an unholy amount of money to do so that it must be discussed with his sons and nephews so everyone knows that losing a good chunk of money, is incoming.
Age 9...Huangyu is now in Dan Realm and Lingyue, an Upper Celestial. And Huangyu finally got a way to spell Lingyue's name.
'Finally the family registry won't be partly-blank.' Ye Gu sighed as in his hands, was the family registry book. 'So what made you finally decide?'
Huangyu told him about her investigating newest developments of the Hong Family. And about their youngest.
Huangyu pitied the three kids who could have had the chance to be happy like her Lingyue whom she raised to have a balance of happy childhood and lessons. Yet those kids have cold-blooded, icy eyes and gaining skill in social-climbing! There was no love and care in Hong Household, only concerned with how to gain one's Interests by hook or by crook.
And little Hong Mingyue is the evil counterpart to Lingyue who would soon leave home to get into Sanshenggu Sect as she was a young genius whose existence further sprayed perfume on the Hong Family name and they're milking it for all it's worth.
'Upon knowing how her name is written, I decided on this.'
Huangyu has a scrap paper where 凌月 was written. As a foil to 明月 that means 'bright moon', Lingyue was 'rise above the moon'.
'...I see.' so old Ye Gu wrote Lingyue's name and went to see Old Liu to update his copy of the Ye Family Registry.
'Humm, so your daughter made a decision now.' Elder Liu chuckled kindly, as he wrote the name.
'With good reason.' Ye Gu sighed wearily. 'My fool of a daughter learned the heartbreaking way how right I was about that Hong Fang bastard after a short time.' Ye Gu told Elder Liu all they currently know about the household of Marquis Zhenyuan in Xia City and that wedding day. And how years later, Huangyu checked on latest developments...that made her decide how Lingyue's name is to be written. She is to be a foil to her youngest sister, whom Huangyu pities the most as she saw what growing up is like in Hong House.
'I see...so little Lingyue is effectively disowned by her father.' Elder Liu then wrote 凌月 on the empty space next to Huangyu's name and changed Huangyu's status from 'married' to 'abandoned wife', using sorcery, making Ye Gu cringe at the sight on the page.
'Well, my only consolation was he married Huangyu legally before that old monster forced positions to be switched. So unlike her father, Lingyue is actually a legal daughter, not a bastard.' Ye Gu sneered. 'So what if he disowned her? Nobody can deny reality that she is legal born even if she bears our Ye name. Her status is technically, higher than his...' the old man snorted in contempt.
'And Lingyue is now far luckier than her younger siblings who will soon know grief and suffering just to get that family more political and financial power when that old monster Hong Qingyun or their father wants it. Hong Fang moreso as the entity that possessed Lingyue rebuked him and Zhu Gerou on his own wedding day. They're just tools and assets, nothing more, while Lingyue knew what it means to be loved growing up by her mother and actually has a childhood.' he sighed. 'Sure I punished Huangyu, but she raised Lingyue well despite a monthly allowance of ten silver and lived in the Northern Manor where punished members go. She was a cheerful, playful daughter. Stark difference between light...and dark.'
Old Liu tut-tutted, shaking his head.
'Well, social-climbing and getting too greedy tends to irk powers stronger than they...one wrong move, it's over.' he said. 'Its better being commoners, we live a peaceful, happier life.' he told Ye Gu, chuckling. 'Should those kids slip...even I would say, 'may you have a better family in the next life'. Lingyue's siblings are to be pitied indeed.'
Ye Gu paid the fees and left.
Elder Liu let the newly-gained knowledge sink in. So he got interested in Ye Lingyue's development as she was actually, a fallen noble through cruelty.
xxx
'Huangyu, why not have Lingyue join a prominent sect?' Ye Gu asked Huangyu in a family meeting while discussing their children's futures. 'I'm looking for a sect to take in Liuyun and I found one willing to take her and they're a good sect that will let Liuyun grow well without losing herself.' he said as his fourth son, Huangcheng did a double-take and looked at Huangyu in disbelief. There's another gifted in the family that warrants such an invitation?!
'Well, Lingyue chose the path of alchemy when I told her about our world.' said Huangyu. 'So I saved up through some sidelining and bought her books on alchemy basics.' that got Ye Gu interested.
'I see, so her studies?'
'She's frequenting the mountains to experiment in refining and pill-making...refining weapons is too much on family finances, so she'll pursue the path of the Pharmacist-side of the profession. Herbs and beast materials are free to come by up there than throw money in a store.' Huangyu then took out the books she bought for everyone to look at. 'Lingyue memorized them by heart that its safe to say we can add these in our Martial Shrine now incase our family gets future alchemists after Lingyue.'
'I see. Huangshu.' Huangshu took that as his cue and stood up, and took the books Huangyu gave away. Unlike most of the books in the shrine he watches over these ones are brand new. 'I look forward to this. After a long history of martialists, we got a rather interesting odd duck.' said Ye Gu thoughtfully. 'Every week, we'll test Lingyue's efforts.'
'Yes.'
So they did.
However...Lingyue was a genius in pill-making on her first week.
Her pills, are yellow. She refined a pill in front of them using a pile of high-level ingredients she acquired in the mountains. And it's yellow. YELLOW!
'Yellow Pills!' the family was dumbstruck with a lightning-strike at their mental backgrounds.
'Huangyu! Have you any idea how hard it is to see yellow pills in the market?!' Huangyun, the eldest son howled in aghast. 'And its usually royalty or nobles who gobble them up first! Us mere commoners have no hope of ever having these, nevermind know if they actually exist!'
'Considering I've been to Bo City's Alchemist Association I'd know that much.' Huangyu sighed. 'I mostly saw ordinary and blue pills up for sale while I gathered information for Lingyue but even then those pills already cost hundreds of silver.'
'What more of a yellow.' Ye Gu deadpanned, pinching his nose hard. 'What pill did you make, Lingyue?'
'Chiyang Pill for breaking through to Dan Realm.' the family choked. And Huangyu's a Dan Realm cultivator now!
'WHAAAAT?!' the family men's eyes popped out in disbelief as Huangyu remained firm where she sat in seiza.
Yup, Lingyue's the family genius in alchemy.
But!
Old Ye Gu knows that this cannot leave this room no matter the cost. No doubt with yellow pills, Huangyu has long since been healed from her injury.
'Lingyue will be our family secret.' said Ye Gu firmly. 'Lingyue will be in danger if this gets out. She'll get the wrong sort of attention and that cannot happen. Only Senior Alchemists can do what she can.' he told his sons and nephews as he can only imagine what the Hong House will do, after all these years. 'We can never sell her pills. So we'll use it instead, until we are all strong enough for her to go public, if she so chooses. Lingyue, should any outsider gets wind that you're an alchemist, only show the ability to refine blue pills, alright? That's safer more for your sake than ours.'
'Yes, grandfather.' Lingyue nodded to Ye Gu's satisfaction.
'I'm issuing a gag order! What's known today shall never leave this room and through any form of communication!'
Due to how useful she was, Ye Gu decided to move Huangyu and Lingyue to Qiaochu Quarter, a much-better residence after he had servants clean it up before they. And the ladies began...decorating it how they want it. Huangyu's allowance increased to 100 gold a month, unaware how secretly rich she actually was.
So Lingyue began working. First in line...cosmetics.
She only made tonics for cosmetics to conceal the fact that they're yellow-grade. Skincare, hormone control, tonics that enhances beauty and terminating the ugly genes, lip gloss and haircare for ladies, so the wives and daughters of her uncles are none-the-wiser.
They played it as their husbands bringing home gifts to family ladies. Though the family men would rather use the skincare and haircare, why would they use lip gloss?
Lingyue's mission was to fortify everyone's bodies to make it more receptable to martial arts and cultivation.
But one day, Ye Gu told Lingyue alone...the truth of their Ye Family and how it began...and she inherited a Will of Grief, and that large cauldron in their Ancestral Hall.
xxx
A year later...
13 years old Ye Sheng, 12 years old Ning and Yinshuang, 10 years old Lingyue and other branch family members gathered for the Mountain Hunt, an event that happens only every three years. For anyone under twenty years of age, they are eligible for attendance regardless of status. It's a week-long Training Camp for youngsters to gain experience, but due to the bitter feud between two families, it means something more for the Ye and Song Families.
Though not official, its widely recognized by the locals that whoever from each family caught the most beasts during the hunt, that family will earn the priority acquisition right to mine in Qixing Mountain.
Lingyue who was about to break through to Reincarnation Realm, had to swallow down Aura-Dampening Pills just so everyone will think she's a 9th level like Liuyun was and the girl just left for a sect...when the whole Ye Family knows she's the strongest by a large margin. She was their trump card, now that Liuyun's gone.
Ye Sheng as the eldest, will lead their group.
Thanks to Lingyue's cosmetics, everyone in the Ye Family sported creamy-jade skin and beauty, much to everyone's admiration and envy. Many girls swooned at the handsome Ye Sheng(by Qiufeng Town's standards that he's the most handsome), and boys were eyeing the family ladies.
Because Lingyue was secretly the strongest in the family and Qixing Mountain was her playground as she hunts for ingredients daily, they won that year's Mountain Hunt as she knew where to hunt! It helps that she was also their medic, so incase of injury, she can quickly patch them up!
xxx
'So for three years, the best parts of the mountain are ours, huh.' Lingyue mused as she was by the best spots in the mountain.
'Yes.' said Ye Gu. 'We will make the most of these three years.' he said in determination.
It was then that the family grandsons around 12-and-up learned about the family business, and help their fathers out.
And when the Smelting Competition of that year came? As an alchemist, Lingyue advised the family elders in how to refine the highest they can manage. This was because they couldn't ask her to participate as she was too young. 13 is adulthood so by then she can help.
Until then, she must focus on gaining strength as a martialist, so she can protect herself well, should her...secret be known.
xxx
When Lingyue went home, she sported a dark smile on her beautiful face.
For over a year now, the Ye Family knows she can make yellow-grade products.
She in fact, can spam as many reds as she wants.
She visited Hongmengtian, the spirit space within her cauldron inheritance.
It was where the treasures of a different alchemist are stored.
It was also, a former residence of a couple, that broke up.
This space, is all hers now. As is that poor pet spirit fox she worked hard to befriend, and named it Shirou.
She would have used 'shilang' as this world's pronunciation of 'shirou', but she might slip should she remember how 'shilang' was written.
So she changed the second kanji of 士郎 to 柔 just so she can call her fox Shirou. Besides, she felt Kiritsugu named him TOO WELL.
He's a youngster hopeless in other magecraft except for Structural Analysis, Reinforcement, and Projection that later, thanks to Archer his future self, graduated to Tracing. But he used what little he had, to enjoy his life and in combat, specialized in Tracing. If he can use a few spells with creative uses, what more if he's a normal magus?
She learned how to bond with her fox as her spirit beast when Huangyu bought a book about it in Xia City while disguising herself. That too, got donated to the Martial Shrine later.
She also used her spirit space that was stupidly large as her accessibility is based on her strength.
She planted high-grade herbs and fruit trees in her space, and raises them there. She would rather gather cheap ones in the wild as they're easier to get than these hard-earned high-grade stuff she possessed. Due to her ability to absorb, the space is saturated with ki, that her herbs and fruits grow and ripen quickly for use in making concoctions. Her wine also matures here faster as does her japanese, german and american cuisine condiments and pickles. She waters them using the Rainbow Creek she gained when going to Dream Cloud Marsh to gain the Water Element.
However, she has to leave soon.
'Mom, I gotta go.' said Lingyue. 'In three days...it's time.' she said grimly as Huangyu audibly gulped.
Reincarnation Realm.
Unlike other levels, the scary part about breaking through as Huangyu would know best even with her daughter's pills is that they receive trials from heaven per level. Each element of fire, water, earth, wind, metal and lightning, random trial per level happens...and each one is deadlier than the last. But should one survive, they come back perfectly healed, good as new, and stronger.
Huangyu had the Earth Trial where she was buried tightly that she couldn't physically breathe. For six hours. If she didn't master embryonic breathing and taken the red Reincarnation Pill beforehand, she'd be long dead!
What trial will Lingyue get?
Ye Gu with a heavy, anxious heart, followed the mother-daughter pair to the other side of the mountains that they've known where it's very cold as opposed to the nature-rich land where they lived in. They packed enough provisions and Huangyu knows how to cook a stew in their long journey...until they get there.
Lingyue cultivated all the way during stationary hours until she hits her peak.
The symbol will soon appear, and she stealthily popped in her red pill using spirit force to hide what she had from Ye Gu.
Soon, the taichi symbol appeared.
And the pillar of light came next.
Lingyue's trial, was lightning, the deadliest of all elements. The first strike made Lingyue howl in pain, and charred alive. That, on a freaking ten year old, horrified father and daughter. In her moment of weakness, Lingyue saw their fear and horror. To be fair, she was just as terrified because she drew a bad card off the bat!
Huangyu lost strength in her legs at her daughter's anguished scream, horrified. 'L-lightning...why lightning first? This order is wrong! My first trial was earth!' she cried in deep fear and worry for her daughter.
'This is awful...is it because of her quick rise in cultivation...that the heaven's decided this should go first?' Ye Gu stammered, just as shaken.
Lingyue would suffer lightning strikes...for a whole day. She didn't want to do it during the night where the Reincarnation Light will be seen at night!
By noontime, Lingyue was still alive, but no longer screamed. She learned to endure the strikes in silence. Magecraft all her life was painful, but her hellish ten years was a mere pinch compared to this! If people complain to her about pain and how they know nothing of their pain, she'll gladly teach them what real pain is out of spite!
By sundown...it was soon over...and Lingyue who now resembled human charred flesh, a gruesome sight, fully-healed as if nothing happened, a sign of her success.
She stumbled and staggered as soon as her feet touched the ground, prompting the adults to catch her.
'That...was nasty...' Lingyue whimpered, snuggling into the arms that got her. 'Is my order in reverse?'
'Seems like it.' said Ye Gu. 'You've done well, Lingyue.' he comforted the poor kid who was shaken by her experience. 'Maybe try again in two more years to be on the safe side as you master Lightning Martial Arts. Your mother is at least adult enough for these horrors.'
'Yeah...maybe I'll fortify myself some more...' Lingyue quickly agreed.
They returned home, dumbstricken.
By the time they got home, everyone in Qiufeng Town reckons that a sixth level Reincarnation Realm Master is born on the other side of the mountains as even normal people knows what happens to those who go through Reincarnation Realm. If only they knew the truth!
It was nine months later that Huangyu got her second trial...after Earth, was Wind. It's a horrible mix of vacuum and kamaitachi phenomenon. Bad enough you're crushed by vacuum, you're also subjected to lingchi that Huangyu is now a gory mess!
'Lingyue, your mother's first trial was Earth, was it?' Ye Gu watched with difficulty of focusing on looking at how his daughter suffered so. Bad enough he had to see a child suffer twelve hours of lightning strikes...
'Yeah...see these rocks?' Lingyue picked up two rocks. 'They bash against her body front and back without mercy, squashing her body and bone.' she shuddered as she made the rocks strike each other with her spirit force. 'We couldn't eat ground meat for a year for dumplings. Heck, we can't even look at tofu.' Ye Gu shuddered at the mental image it showed. His daughter and granddaughter are clearly traumatized by this. But their quick rise in power...there's gotta be a good reason.
'Then Lingyue...do you know...what happened ten years ago?' Ye Gu popped the dreaded question. Lingyue looked down and pursed her lips. 'Your rise in cultivation surely has to have a reason.'
'...that was my first memory.' said Lingyue softly. 'For years that was my first memory. I didn't understand as a child until I got lessons and learned language.' she played dumb, naturally. 'Why is that wedding day and my being possessed stamped in my head, I don't know...all I know is mother suffered so I wanted to help mother. And maybe set her up with a good man this time who'd probably be a good father to me too.' Ye Gu felt sad and disheartened by her words. Through the entity that possessed her, it left behind in a young girl's mind such an awful memory.
She knows full well she's in danger, if they see her and know her name, so this girl worked hard to survive the coming years.
'Lingyue...' Ye Gu comforted his granddaughter. Maybe Huangyu did her best to make this girl happy, before they face reality.
Two years later...same time and day...in another location, way south of Qiufeng Town in a forest...
This time out of respect, the Family sons, grandsons and Nephews watched Lingyue breaking through. They document the trials. Lingyue documented the Earth Trial, Ye Gu documented the Lightning and Wind Trials...
Lingyue drew the Metal Trial next, causing Huangyu to puke blood at the sight of the trial and Lingyue finding her situation ironic. Now the male family members bearing the Ye surname will document the Metal Trial next and whatever hers was!
"Ara ara..." Lingyue winced as swords burst out of her body without mercy, fly out and stab her again, as if, they're needles going through fabric! "I know how Shirou feels now...!" The men of the family were justifiably horrified upon seeing what to expect, when its their turn one day!
And Huangyu drew the Water Trial next. Drowned while crushed by Water Pressure, and alternating being boiled or frozen every after six hours!
After that, they decided to rest next to master their new elements.
At age 12, Lingyue's body sported the appearance of a developed teenage earth girl should have had...at fourteen, along with the face of a maiden as she constantly takes cosmetics to grow up a feminine beauty.
She then helped her cousins cultivate to prepare for next year's hunt while developing and aiming to master new arts.
Though the Ye Family encountered er...issues.
'Ye Sheng, you're old enough to marry.' Ye Gu told his grandson who is now. 'Have you found a nice lady to marry?'
'I wish!' Ye Sheng complained in his outburst. 'When I checked the Matchmaker's Office for girls, Granny Neng and Granny Jia are disappointed by the turnouts when they tested all eligible girls in town! Most of them can't even cook! If they can't even cook, how can I expect them to be a good wife AND mother? And marrying cousins are out of the question unless they're distant enough not to cause health issues in children!'
'I heard Lingyue went to get tested for bridal qualifications.' said Huangyun. 'What happened?' Last year, the older girls got tested, and their bridal prices set, but no man so far is coming to choose them yet.
'She scored high grades in Cooking, Tailoring and Cleaning.' Ye Sheng reported. 'Those grannies are singing high praises about Sister Lingyue. And her bride price...nobody can afford that, thankfully not even the Song Clan can afford such price.'
The adults exchanged looks.
The Bride Price a man must pay for their chosen wives, is very costly though that depends on the girl in question.
The Matchmaking Office's fee of 500 gold per granny, and a girl's base price is based on her looks and figure. Lowest Price is an insulting 100 gold. After that, the Skill Prices of Feminine Skills. Lowest is also, 100 gold per skill. These prices when totaled, are to be paid to the girl's family in question.
'How much was she priced by the Office?' Ye Gu asked the boy who gulped audibly.
'An insane 90000 gold.'
'WHAAAAT?!'
It goes without saying, that Lingyue was the most beautiful girl in Qiufeng Town due to how she constantly medicates herself to reach her level of looks. Their cousins who have the same medication, can't even hope to compare!
xxx
Meanwhile...
Lingyue is now in Xia City to scope out latest fashions and trends while invisible...these people like Qixiong Ruquns too much! She was disappointed, after checking the progress of cultivation by their enemies and who they hang out with.
Her shitty sperm donor is a rank lower than her mother.
Yulong and Yuying are now into peak Lower Celestial. And Mingyue mid-Upper.
And to think this is a shop that even nobles frequent!
Whatever happened to cuter ruqun types? There's the Jiaoling-ruqun but this is usually worn by martialists with trousers which her mother does or with a skirt, but normal girls pair them with cute waist brocade wraps and skirts. Duijin-ruqun is also cute, but not available! She doesn't even see a single Hanfu type! Daxiushan doesn't even exist.
UNACCEPTABLE!
"I'll have to make my own! Humph!" Lingyue thought, fuming after she left the shop and went home.
At home, she made her own clothes.
That's what Alchemy is for.
A:N- it'll take a while before I recover from my block, caused by Windows 10 automatic update BEHIND MY BACK to check on reheated dinner in the stove that made me lose a lot of progress I got disheartened at such losses at my moment of moxie too so until then, I'll focus on this one. I'll also re-edit the first chap a little.
It's actually Hong Yulang, not Yulong...translators in english trans I read all said Yulong when I read the chinese raws, it's actually YuLANG. Whoopsies!
