Chapter 11: It's Easy to Take You Down

"Alright." Tang Xin nodded with a beaming smile and walked over to Master Guo, calling out obediently, "Greetings, Master."

"Hehe, little girl, come, come here." Master Guo beckoned to her, signaling for her to step forward.

Tang Xin looked back at her convenient parents. Seeing them both nod, she walked forward and asked in a crisp, clear voice, "Master, how do you test for martial energy? Will it hurt?"

Di Shangmo’s expectant gaze remained fixed on Tang Xin. When he met her and Mu Chenfeng on the street last time, he hadn't seen her use any martial energy; he only knew she possessed a photographic memory. He was very curious: what would her talent for cultivation be like?

"Testing for martial energy doesn't hurt. Just close your eyes and relax."

Master Guo stood up and, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, reached out and placed his hand on the top of Tang Xin's head. As he channeled the energy within his own body to guide the potential energy hidden within hers, a long time passed without any reaction. The crowd, initially full of anticipation, began to whisper and murmur among themselves.

"Why isn't there even a trace of martial energy rising? Could it be that this child truly has no talent for cultivation?"

"That shouldn't be! Aside from using a testing instrument, guiding potential energy with one's own aura has never been wrong. Since there’s no reaction at all, it’s likely the child has no martial energy in her body."

"What a pity. Without martial energy, she cannot cultivate. When she grows up, she will only be able to marry an ordinary person."

Di Shangmo looked at Master Guo’s hand on Tang Xin’s head with some disappointment. There was no energy gathering there, proving she truly could not cultivate. On the Longteng Continent, those who could not cultivate would always be considered inferior, even if they held a privileged status...

Seeing her still standing there with her eyes closed and a smile on her face, seemingly unaware that this test had sealed the fact that she could not cultivate, he felt a pang of pity. Powerful experts and prestigious families would never marry a woman who could not cultivate. Her life was destined to be unremarkable...

Seeing this, the Prime Minister and his wife looked at Tang Xin with compassion. They secretly decided that even if she couldn't cultivate, they would ensure Zihao could protect her so that she would never be bullied or looked down upon in the future.

Tang Zihao was also saddened to see she lacked talent for cultivation. For a moment, he lost his appetite for the delicious snacks, but as he remembered what his parents had said, a determined light ignited in his eyes. He picked up a snack and began to eat heartily again.

He had to eat more, cultivate well, and strive to become strong. Then he would be able to protect his little sister. Since she couldn't cultivate, he would be the one to protect her in the future. At this moment, he felt he was very important because he had a grand goal: to become strong and protect his sister!

Among those present, only Mu Chenfeng’s expression was unreadable. His complex gaze rested on Tang Xin. No one knew better than him her agility and strength. Without using any martial energy, she had still managed to dodge his sword and escape his pursuit. And yet, she was only a five-year-old child. With such skills, how could she be an ordinary person?

"What's wrong? Master, do I have martial energy?" Seeing the long silence, she opened her eyes and tilted her head to ask.

Looking into her clear, innocent eyes, Master Guo didn't know what to say. In front of so many people, he hadn't been able to detect even a shred of martial energy in her. He feared that once he stepped out of the Tang residence today, the fact that the Prime Minister’s newly adopted daughter had no martial energy and could not cultivate would spread throughout the entire Imperial City. This result was truly something he had not expected...

"Zihao, take your sister to the garden to play!" Bai Yan beckoned, fearing that someone might show a look of contempt that would hurt her feelings.

"Alright." Tang Zihao put down the snack in his hand, wiped his mouth, and walked over to take her hand. He smiled, his eyes squinting, "Little sister, let's go play in the garden!"

Seeing Master Guo’s guilty expression, the Prime Minister smiled gently, "Master, please don't take it to heart. Even if Xin'er cannot cultivate, she is still our daughter. Come, everyone, please sit."

As the atmosphere livened up again, Di Shangmo quietly slipped away toward the garden. Mu Chenfeng saw this, glanced in the direction he had left, and slowly lowered his eyes.

In the garden

"Little sister, don't worry. If you can't cultivate, you can't cultivate. It's no big deal." Tang Zihao patted her head with his chubby hand to comfort her, leaving Tang Xin between laughter and tears.

"Fatty Brother, then my safety will be in your hands from now on. You must work hard at your cultivation!"

"Mm! I will." He nodded solemnly, a rare look of seriousness appearing on his chubby face.

Looking at the blooming flowers in the garden, she stepped forward, picked one, and handed it to him with a smile: "Fatty Brother, here, have some."

"This is a flower, how can you eat it?"

"Flowers are delicious! Look." She sipped the nectar from the flower; it was sweet, fragrant, and tasted excellent.

Seeing this, Tang Zihao followed suit. His eyes lit up immediately, and he said in surprise, "Little sister, it really is edible!"

"Hee hee, of course."

"Tang Xin." Di Shangmo walked over, a gentle smile on his handsome, elegant face.

"It's you? Is something the matter?"

"For you." He took a small blue bottle from his robes and held it out to her.

She glanced at it and asked, "What is this?"

"This is Snow Skin Cream. It can remove scars. The marks on your face are still faint; applying this will restore it to its original state."

Hearing this, she shook her head: "No need." She could concoct such things herself whenever she wanted; there was no need to take his.

"Little sister, Snow Skin Cream is very precious. It really can remove scars." Seeing that she didn't even want something delivered to her door, Tang Zihao took it for her immediately. That was a treasure that money couldn't buy.

"Then we definitely can't take it." She gave Tang Zihao a look, signaling him to return it.

Tang Zihao pouted, looking at the bottle in his hand with reluctance, but seeing Tang Xin watching him, he held it out: "My sister doesn't want it, so take it back!"

Seeing this, Di Shangmo’s eyes flickered. He looked at her, took the bottle back, and said, "If you ever need help in the future, you can come to me." With that, he turned and left.

"Eh?"

Tang Xin looked at his departing figure with a strange expression, wondering, *What does this person mean? He wouldn't happen to be sympathizing with me just because he thinks I can't cultivate, would he?*

At night, as the guests left one by one, Tang Zhengyu and Bai Yan came to Tang Xin's courtyard together. Upon entering, they saw her swinging on a swing Tang Zihao had tied up. The two exchanged a glance and walked over.

"Xin'er."

"Father, Mother, why are you here?" She jumped off the swing and trotted toward them.

"We came to see if you were asleep yet." Tang Zhengyu bent down to pick her up and asked with a smile, "What were you thinking about all by yourself?"

She wrapped her arms around her convenient father's neck, rolled her eyes, and asked with a beaming smile, "Father, I was wondering why our place is called the Longteng Continent? How big is this world? Are there many very powerful people on the Longteng Continent?"

"Hehe, you! You're a little person with big thoughts. Even Zihao has never asked such questions, yet you have." He exchanged a look with Bai Yan beside him and laughed, "Since you want to know, Father will tell you."

"The world is vast and boundless, with many unknown places and many unknown things. The reason our place is called the Longteng Continent is because the shape of our region resembles a dragon. On the other side of the Longteng Continent, it is rumored that there is a place called the Huxiao Continent. That place is home to cultivators. It is said that the lifespan of a cultivator is dozens of times that of an ordinary person, and several times that of a martial artist who cultivates martial energy. However, we have never seen a cultivator appear on our side."