After all the kids had gathered and the adults were seated, Father stood up from his seat and stepped forward. He looked them over with his stern frown. Many of the kids shifted nervously when they saw their clan head look at them with such an expression.

“The Wu Clan’s test of strength has come once again,” he announced in a clear voice. “Now is the time for you to show us the fruits of your labor. Those who prove they have gained great strength shall be rewarded. Those who prove they have done nothing but rest on their laurels will have to try harder so they can succeed next time. Now, let the test of strength begin!”

Elder Wu Jinsu stepped forward as Father sat back down between Mother and Wu Taohua. He cleared his throat.

“Ahem. Head up to the testing stone when I call your name and display your strength. Wu Ai!”

As he spoke, a young boy maybe a year or two older than Wu Jian stepped out of the crowd, walked up the stairs, and stood before the testing stone. He slid his feet apart and adopted a combat stance. Narrowing his eyes, he drew his fist into his chest, took a deep breath as though preparing himself, then thrust it forward with all his might.

“HYAAAAA!”

He landed a solid hit on the testing stone, which lit up. A deep red color blossomed from the point of impact and turned into many particles of light. The light gathered together and formed a number.

“3,243,” Elder Wu Jinsu announced. “That was a good showing. You have gotten stronger since the last time you tested. I am very impressed.”

Wu Ai grinned before bowing to the elder and heading back into the crowd. As he disappeared, Elder Wu Jinsu called another name, then another, and another.

“Wu Baolong!”

“Wu Bai!”

“Wu Cai!”

Several people were called up to test their strength. Most of the people around Wu Jian’s age were between two thousand and three thousand. A few rare exceptions were above three thousand five hundred. The older clansmen who were fifteen contained people who were mostly between four thousand and five thousand.

“5,340!” Elder Wu Jinsu announced.

His words caused something of an uproar among the clan. This was the highest score so far.

The one who scored this number turned around and flashed them all a grin. He was a fifteen year old boy with pitch black hair and a light tan. He wore the same sleeveless training gi that everyone else did, revealing that his arms were covered in more than just muscle. Several scars littered his arms. They were obvious signs of the hard work he had put into his training. Wu Jian wondered how he got them.

Several of his peers began speaking around him. Wu Jian listened in.

“Isn’t that Wu Hong? The Wu Clan’s strongest youth?”

“It is! So that’s what he looks like! I’ve never seen him in person before!”

“That’s because he’s been training in seclusion. I heard Elder Wu Nin has been training him personally.”

“What?! That’s not fair!”

“Life’s not fair. Wu Hong is talented. You know how it is. Talent is always recognized and cultivated. If you don’t have any talent, you’re not worth as much to the clan, and they won’t waste their resources on you.”

The Wu Clan was a rather poor clan, though they were stronger than the other two clans living in Zahn City. However, you didn’t call a rat strong just because it was bigger and stronger than two other rats. In the grand scheme of things, the Wu Clan was probably one of the weakest clans in the Shang Kingdom. The only reason they had any prestige was because Father had served in the military with distinction and was rumored to be close to the emperor.

“Wu Jian!” Elder Wu Jinsu called out.

Wu Jian jolted when his name was called. The nerves he just managed to get under control flared up again, making his breathing shaky.

“You’re up, Jian,” Wu Meiying said with a soft smile. “Show them how strong you’ve become.”

“R-right,” Wu Jian said as he stepped out of the crowd.

Everyone quieted down as he walked up the stairs, or maybe he was just unable to hear them. A loud buzzing rang in his ears. He could hear nothing except that annoying buzzing and the pounding of his own heart. He was nervous. Scared. Now that it was finally time for him to display his strength, he was afraid that he would not be a match for the other clan members, that they would once more have reason to mock him.

His last test had been a disappointment.

1,209.

That was a small number compared to many other people his age. Even the weakest person after him had been 2,600. Of course, Wu Yong’s number had been 3,200 at the time, and he was probably a lot stronger now. Could Wu Jian really surpass him? He was afraid of finding out. Afraid of failing. But he also knew that he couldn’t back down now.

Wu Jian took a deep breath, held it, and slowly released it. Sliding his feet against the ground, he placed his dominant foot forward and lowered his center of gravity. He focused on the testing cube in front of him, tucked his right fist into his torso, and paused.

A moment of silence.

A single breath.

“HAAA!”

Wu Jian slammed his fist into the testing stone as hard as he could. He held nothing back, rotating his hips and torso, putting every ounce of strength he possessed into this single attack. He felt the impact as a jolt that traveled up his arms. Red lights gathered inside of the cube, congealing together, forming numbers that announced the results.

“3-3,965?!” Elder Wu Jinsu sounded stunned as he announced the results.

There was a single moment of pure silence before all the Wu clansmen went wild. Everyone began talking at once. It was an uproar.

Wu Jian could understand why.

His results six months ago had been abysmal, so awful that he had become the laughing stock of the Wu Clan, shaming his father, mother, and ancestors. Of course, he had already been made fun of and mocked for his frail appearance even before then. However, it was after his strength test that everyone began to look down on him. People whispered about him in open earshot, his previous friends had discarded him, and Wu Yong had begun bullying him even more mercilessly after his poor showing. He knew Father wouldn’t do anything to stop the bullying either. Someone who was weak was worthless to the clan, after all.

And now the results of this test showed that he had improved far more than anyone else. It wasn’t unusual for someone to grow stronger by a couple hundred points. There were even people who had leapt up in strength by a thousand, but none of them had improved like he had. The weak clan heir, the person everyone made fun of, had just shown off a strength that was beyond even the clansmen several years older than him.

It was only natural that everyone would be stunned.

Wu Jian walked back down the stairs under the shocked eyes of everyone present. The people in front of him stepped back, parting so he could walk past them. He walked over to Wu Meiying. She wore a proud smile, cheeks lit up with a soft dusting of pink. He had never seen her eyes look so bright. They were practically sparkling.

“That was amazing, Jian!” Wu Meiying laughed as she hugged him. “You see? You really have grown stronger!”

“Yeah… Yeah, I have.” Wu Jian hugged Wu Meiying back. “Thanks, Mei. I was only able to get this strong because you’re always supporting me.”

“And I always will.” Wu Meiying pulled back, smile widening so much that her eyes were forced shut. Her smile enchanted him. “After all, a wife needs to support her husband.”

***

While the ruckus down below was loud, the viewing booth was silent. Wu Yōushì, Wu Taohua, and the two elders sitting next to them didn’t know what to say. Only Wu Àiliàn seemed capable of talking.

“Well, now. That was very impressive. Right, dear?” she asked her husband.

Wu Yōushì blinked as though snapping out of a trance. He glanced at his wife, then his lips twitched. It was small. Most people would have never been able to spot it, but there was definitely a smile on his face. Wu Àiliàn grinned back at him.

“It was. He has grown greatly in the last six months.”

Wu Àiliàn puffed out her chest. “That he has. I remember when you said he was too meek to ever make something of himself. I hope you remember this moment.”

Wu Yōushì winced. “To be fair, it did not seem like he would ever become strong enough to benefit this family.”

“And so you thought it was best to ignore him and focus on training someone more worthy? Someone like Wu Yong?”

Wu Àiliàn glanced at Wu Taohua, who merely returned her look with a cold stare. She didn’t necessarily dislike her husband’s second wife. However, it was also true that they had never gotten along. Wu Àiliàn was bright and cheerful. She believed in living life to the fullest every single day. She was a free spirit. In direct contrast, Wu Taohua was cold and methodical. She believed in logic and thought showing emotions like Wu Àiliàn did was detrimental to the clan. They were total opposites in every way.

“There’s no way this can be possible,” Elder Wu Wei muttered in shock. “How could a frail boy like that gain so much strength so quickly.” He cast a suspicious glance at Wu Yōushì. “Did you aid him?”

“Are you accusing me of breaking our laws by aiding someone who hasn’t proven themselves?” asked Wu Yōushì, his voice cold.

“No… of course not.” Elder Wu Wei shook his head and retracted his statement. “Apologies. I am just shocked. We all know how hard it is to grow stronger without the aid of alchemy pills, medicinal plants, elemental essence, or natural treasures. I was merely stunned that Wu Jian could grow so much without any of that.”

The Wu Clan was poor. They did not have the money to buy vast amounts of alchemy pills, which was the most common method of increasing someone’s strength and cultivation. That was why only those who had proven themselves received such benefits. A person who had the talent and drive to grow stronger was more worthy of those resources than someone who did not.

“Rest assured, I did not aid Wu Jian in any way,” Wu Yōushì lied.

Only he and Wu Àiliàn knew the truth, that Wu Yōushì had dipped into his personal stash of alchemy pills and given some to Wu Jian at her behest. He had also not said anything after realizing that Wu Jian had acquired a Silver Lotus when he snuck into West Fang Mountain with Wu Meiying.

Wu Yōushì did not show how much he cared about his family. As the head of the Wu Clan, he needed to remain aloof and impersonal. Only by separating his feelings and sentiments from his decisions could he act in the best interest of the clan. He only had one weakness.

Wu Àiliàn.

He and Wu Àiliàn were never meant to be married. She had just been a random village girl whom he had met during one of his journeys, but they had fallen in love, and he had brought her home and married her against the previous clan head’s wishes.

At the time, it had been reluctantly allowed because he was not going to become the clan head. Wu Wei was. But then Wu Wei tried to assault Wu Àiliàn during the night, and Wu Yōushì challenged him in a fit of rage, mercilessly defeated him, and ended up becoming the clan head by sheer accident.

“If Wu Jian has gained strength, then it is by his own hand. I played no part in it,” Wu Yōushì assured the elder.

“Of course. I should have known better,” Elder Wu Wei said with an amicable smile that nevertheless hid his dark thoughts. Wu Àiliàn was not fooled by his grandfatherly appearance one bit.

“Let’s continue the strength test,” Wu Taohua said in a soft voice.

Everyone agreed and the Wu Clan’s strength test continued.