Grief and Joy

Spring gave way to autumn, and the sweltering heat of summer faded into the bitter cold of winter.

Three years passed. The Zhou family estate had seen a great transformation. Two additional courtyards had been built onto the sides of the original three-courtyard compound, forming the shape of a cross. The branches of Zhou Hong and Zhou Ping took this opportunity to move out, leaving only Zhou Dashan, his wife, and a host of retainers in the rear courtyard.

At the four corners of this cross, four simpler courtyards were erected, connected to the main grounds by small gates. Since Zhou Shi and Zhou Hu had sired children and were no longer considered lowly servants, they naturally needed their own separate quarters.

There were also grain storehouses, horse stables, cattle pens, and a training ground for the estate guards.

As the Zhou family's foundation grew day by day, its people, affairs, and wealth multiplied. Fortunately, Zhou Changhe handled everything with seasoned skill. Unlike Zhou Hong's honest and simple nature, Changhe was cold-blooded and ruthless to his core. Through heavy-handed suppression and calculated promotions, he managed the estate flawlessly, leaving the retainers and guards in trembling fear.

If asked who they feared most in the Zhou household, it was undoubtedly Zhou Ping, followed closely by Zhou Changhe and Zhou Minghu.

Zhou Shi stood respectfully to the side, his head bowed. "Eldest Young Master, it has been a harsh year. The Zhao family and the rest of the tenant farmers are begging for a rent reduction of half a cheng."

Zhou Changhe sat at his desk, writing out plans for digging irrigation channels. Without even raising his head, he replied flatly, "No reduction."

"Tell them that starting tomorrow, they are to repair the roads and dig the channels. They will receive half a jin of grain per day for their labor."

"The scorching heat has been unbearable these past two years, and the mountain herbs have dwindled significantly. Should we fell some timber to make up for the deficit?" Zhou Shi asked.

Zhou Changhe set down his writing brush and looked at the territory map behind him. "Our Baixi Village is surrounded by mountains. The timber may seem plentiful, but if we log carelessly, the soil and stone will lose their anchor, leading to mountain torrents."

"And since our Baixi Village sits in the lowlands, directly in the path of any such torrent, how can you still think of felling trees for wealth?"

He then walked over to Zhou Shi with his hands clasped behind his back, his voice turning harsh. "It is one thing that you secretly cut timber on the side, but now you want to reap massive profits. Was this your idea, or Zhou Hu's?"

"Eldest Young Master, I was only thinking of the main family!" Zhou Shi lowered his head in terror.

"Hmph." Zhou Changhe sneered coldly, but said nothing more.

It was not just the timber trade; even the minor captains of the grain caravan had been discreetly skimming profits. Yet, as long as the family as a whole continued to earn greatly, Zhou Changhe would not squabble over the details.

After all, water that is too clear holds no fish.

Furthermore, small profits corrupt the heart. Letting them indulge in a little greed bound their loyalty to the family. If he were entirely iron-faced and refused to tolerate a single grain of sand, it would only breed resentment and drive them away.

In any case, everything remained firmly within his grasp. The moment someone grew too bold and forgot their place, that would be the time to kill the chicken to warn the monkeys.

"Dismissed," Zhou Changhe waved his hand. "Tell Zhou Hu and the others to know their limits."

"Understood." Zhou Shi finally backed away slowly.

Zhou Changhe sat back at his desk, resuming his plans for the clan's expansion. Trading with the Li family's merchant caravan-buying cloth, tea leaves, and tools to peddle to the surrounding villages-yielded only a meager profit, but it would play a pivotal role in their future growth.

"Eldest Brother, there have been more fierce beasts roaming the mountains lately." At this moment, a delicate, handsome youth walked in from outside. Yet, a hunting bow and a short knife were slung across his back, creating a jarring contrast.

This was Zhou Changxi. Though indecisive by nature, he had learned considerable martial skill under Uncle Xu's harsh training. He often led groups of estate guards into the mountains to hunt and track beasts, looking quite dashing.

"Uncle has already informed me of this. Stay out of the mountains for now, it may be dangerous," Zhou Changhe said plainly. "Go and tell Uncle Xu to push the guards and the grain caravan escorts harder in their training. Do not let them slack off."

A flash of disappointment crossed Zhou Changxi's eyes. Uncle truly only favored his eldest brother, completely ignoring his other two nephews. "I understand."

"Also, the village schoolhouse needs repairs soon. Go discuss the matter with the village elders and establish a clear plan."

Zhou Changhe watched his younger brother. Although Changxi's temperament was lacking, he had grown up and could not remain idle forever. He needed to gradually take hold of some family affairs. As for their third brother, Chang'an, he possessed some aptitude for academics and remained at the schoolhouse to bitterly study the classics.

Their cousin Minghu was thirteen this year. Having long grown accustomed to traversing the mountains, it was tacitly understood that he oversaw the mountain herb trade.

Xuanya was only eight; naturally, he had no duties other than cultivating diligently at home.

As for Zhou Ping, he was unburdened by any mundane affairs, precisely so he would not be tied down. Only in this way could he stand watch over the Zhou clan, ready to deal with unexpected situations at any moment.

Over the past three years, demonic creatures had descended from the mountains several times. On each occasion, Zhou Ping intercepted and slaughtered them in time, preventing any catastrophic losses. It was exactly because of these periodic interventions that Zhou Ping's prestige among the villagers of Baixi Village burned brighter than ever.

"Got it," Zhou Changxi replied absentmindedly before turning to leave.

Zhou Changhe looked up, wanting to say something, but as he watched his brother's retreating back, his words melted into a long sigh.

"Alas."

Meanwhile, in the side courtyard, Zhou Ping cradled a months-old infant in his arms, his eyes fixed on Zhou Xuanya as the boy swung his spear.

"Lower it. That thrust was too high, it wouldn't kill anyone," Zhou Ping called out. Though he knew nothing of formal spear arts, he knew that a spear thrust should pierce like a rainbow, and he knew how to kill.

Zhou Xuanya remained silent, but his body instinctively adjusted, his strikes gaining a few degrees of lethal edge.

Seeing no further flaws, Zhou Ping lowered his head to look at the baby in his arms. This was his third son, Zhou Bai.

Yet, a shadow of sorrow gathered between his brows, for Zhou Bai possessed no cultivation aptitude!

Between Zhou Ping and his elder two sons, they accumulated three points of Ding Fire each year. By last year, his Ding Fire reserves had reached twenty-one points.

At that time, Zhou Ping discovered that the system displayed an option to upgrade aptitudes. However, it could only elevate his own aptitude, incapable of affecting Zhou Minghu or Zhou Xuanya.

In other words, while he could continuously refine his own talent, he could only alter his children's aptitudes while they were still in the womb!

Though frustrated in his heart, he had no choice but to improve his own aptitude first. Once his cultivation advanced, he could venture out to find natural treasures and spiritual medicines to aid his kin.

But misfortune rarely travels alone. Right after he expended twenty points of Ding Fire to expand his Spiritual Light to two and a half cun, Chen Nianqiu became pregnant.

Consequently, there was absolutely no Ding Fire left to nurture the unborn Zhou Bai. He was destined to be a mortal!

[Ding Fire]: 4

[Spiritual Aptitude]: Low Grade

[Cultivation]: Spirit Awakening Realm

[Offspring]: 3

Worse still, Zhou Bai could not generate Ding Fire!

After all these years, Zhou Ping had finally puzzled out the underlying rules of the Ding Fire and the system.

He was like the primary source of a flame, and his bloodline descendants were the subsidiary sparks extending from him. Yet, those sparks were inherently extinguished. Only by using his Ding Fire to ignite them would they, in turn, feed back Ding Fire.

Simply put, to harvest Ding Fire, the individual had to be his descendant, and they had to possess an aptitude elevated by the Ding Fire!

Fortunately, he had also learned that upgrading an aptitude was not impossibly difficult. Each cun of Spiritual Light merely required a flat increment of ten points.

To elevate a mortal descendant to a full nine cun of Spiritual Light aptitude would consume four hundred and fifty points of Ding Fire. Once there were more cultivators among his future progeny, the accumulation would naturally accelerate.

"Alas." Even with the path forward illuminated, Zhou Ping was burdened by deep sorrow.

His Spiritual Light now measured two and a half cun, allowing him a limit of fourteen strands of Spiritual Qi. With a stroke of fortune, breaking through was entirely possible. At that time, reaching the Qi Condensation Realm would afford him a lifespan of over a hundred and twenty years.

But Zhou Bai possessed no Spiritual Light at all. As a mere mortal, he would wither away in a few short decades. Zhou Ping would only be able to watch helplessly as his own son grew old and died. As a father, how could his heart not ache?

As for Zhou Bai's elder brothers, one possessed a Spiritual Light of one point nine cun, the other one point eight cun. Their innate talents were not terrible. Should they stumble upon the right earthly treasures in the future, a breakthrough was not impossible.

As the saying went: men do not fear poverty, but inequality. Naturally, Zhou Ping felt he owed a much greater debt to Zhou Bai.

"Bai'er, your father will ensure you live a life of peace and joy, free from all worries," Zhou Ping whispered, hugging Zhou Bai tightly and gently comforting him.

He made a firm resolution. From now on, childbirth within his branch had to be carefully managed and orderly-at least by his grandchildren's generation. He had to ensure that as many descendants as possible were born with the aptitude for cultivation.

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