396: Chapter 397 The Grand Ceremony Begins!

Lu Shiyin felt her cheeks heat up slightly as he held her hand, but she did not pull away, only whispering, "Husband, please do not tease me. I am seriously discussing proper business."

"I am also answering seriously," Ye Changge said with a smile. "As for the Puppet workshop, Lu Shiyin, you can rest assured. In my view, there is hope for it to become profitable by next year."

Lu Shiyin was slightly taken aback, a flash of surprise in her eyes: "Next year?"

"Yes," Ye Changge nodded. "Lu Shiyin, you also know that among the hundred arts of cultivation, no matter which one it is, the simplest way to improve one's skills is to practice more, test more, and make more mistakes. Puppet making is the same. Although the initial investment is large, every trial and error is a valuable accumulation of experience. The Spirit Stones I have poured in from beginning to end were not thrown into the water in vain; they were all to refine the workshop's processes and train personnel."

He paused and continued: "Moreover, Puppet making has another advantage. If a certain component is ruined during refining, at most it can be melted down and remade, with only a portion of the Materials lost, rather than the whole thing being scrapped. Compared to Alchemy, where if a furnace explodes you lose everything, this is much gentler. Once Ye Qingfeng has built a solid Foundation and brought up a few apprentices, we will be able to take on some odd jobs next year, and we will slowly be able to recoup the initial investment."

Listening to his well-reasoned explanation, Lu Shiyin's worries gradually dissipated. Having been husband and wife with Ye Changge for many years, she knew well that her husband always acted with a plan; since he said there was hope for profit next year, it was a matter he was certain about.

She nodded gently: "Mm, since Husband says so, then I am at ease."

Ye Changge looked at the gentle smile in her eyes and felt a warmth in his heart as well. After many years of marriage, Lu Shiyin had always been his most trusted right-hand support. She managed all the big and small affairs of the Family in an orderly manner, never letting him get distracted; this steadiness and sense of responsibility were unmatched by others.

"By the way," Lu Shiyin suddenly said again, "for the Ceremony in three days, does Husband have any special instructions?"

Ye Changge thought for a moment: "Just have the clan elders present; there is no need to make it too grand. Most of those Mortal children are seeing such a scene for the first time, so do not frighten them. If any are found to have a Spiritual Root, no matter the grade, record them in the register first and arrange for specialized teachers to instruct them in basic Cultivation Technique and literacy. After two years when their Foundation is stable, we can then assign them destinations according to their respective talents."

"I have noted it," Lu Shiyin nodded.

The two chatted about some other trivial household matters: this year's harvest from the Spirit fields, the maintenance progress of the batch of third-grade Spirit Medicine in the Spirit Herb Garden, the breeding situation of the Bibo Spirit Fish in the fish pond, and so on. Ye Changge listened to each one, nodding where necessary and giving instructions where needed, remaining calm and composed.

Spirit Testing Ceremony.

In the following few days, Longmai Mountain became busy from top to bottom.

From the foot of the mountain to the peak, the bluestone path was swept spotlessly clean. The stone lanterns along the road were filled with new Spirit Oil, which would automatically ignite at night, illuminating the entire mountain path as bright as day.

New red silk was hung at the mountain gate, inscribed with the gilded characters "First Spirit Testing Ceremony of the Ye Family of Longmai Mountain," shining brightly in the daylight.

By the morning of the day, just as the sky was beginning to brighten, hundreds of people had already gathered at the foot of Longmai Mountain. The vast majority were Mortal farmers from nearby villages and towns, bringing their families along. Although their clothes were simple, they were all cleaned up, their faces showing a mix of nervousness and anticipation.

Whispers could be heard from the crowd from time to time: "Have you heard? This time the Ye Family is going to test our children's Spiritual Root for free, without charging a single penny!" "Really? Those immortal sects always require Spirit Stones to take in disciples..." "That's other small families! What kind of person is Ancestor Ye? A Foundation Establishment expert, would he care about these few Spirit Stones? He is doing it to replenish the Family's bloodline!" "Children who are found to have a Spiritual Root can cultivate in the Ye Family? That is much better than farming for a lifetime..."

While they were talking, a bell rang out from the mountain gate. Dong—dong—dong— three clear and long bell tolls echoed endlessly in the valley. The crowd immediately fell silent and looked up toward the mountain.

The mountain gate swung wide open, and a team of Ye Family disciples dressed in uniform green shirts filed out, lining up on both sides. Their postures were upright, and their gazes sharp. Although they were only at the Early Stage of Qi Refining, this uniform stance did indeed have the air of a great clan.

Immediately following, a figure walked out slowly from behind the mountain gate. It was a youth of about fourteen or fifteen years old, with a stature just beginning to grow, a handsome face, and eyes that vaguely resembled Ye Changge's. He was wearing a well-tailored moon-white robe, with a jade belt around his waist and his hair fixed with a silver hairpin. He looked neat and clean, exuding a steadiness that did not quite match his age. It was precisely Ye Changge's eldest son, Ye Pingan.

At this moment, he held a thick scroll in his hands and walked onto the high platform specially built in front of the mountain gate. As his gaze swept over the dense crowd below, an indescribable and complex emotion surged in his heart.

Ye Pingan remembered it very clearly. How many years ago was that? At that time, he was only a few years older than these children, holding hands with his mother Xiao Cui, following behind his father Ye Changge, and arriving at that simple Spirit Testing Hall of the Ye Family of Biluo Lake. There were not many people present at that time.

He timidly placed his hand on that dusty Spirit Testing Stone, holding his breath. After waiting for quite a while, a faint light finally shone on the stone. The clan elder squinted at it for a long time before slowly saying: "Ninth-Grade Spirit Root... passable."

What was his father Ye Changge's expression at that time? Ye Pingan remembered it very clearly. His father just smiled, reached out to rub his head, his tone gentle yet firm: "A Ninth-Grade is still a Spiritual Root, it does not matter. My son, if you cultivate diligently in the future, it is not impossible for you to become talented."

At that time, the Ye Family was just an inconspicuous, declining small clan by the shores of Biluo Lake. There were only about a hundred clansmen, Spirit Stones were scarce, and even the Spirit Testing Stone was an old, worn-out piece that had been used for who knows how many years. His father was just starting out back then.

And now— Ye Pingan looked down at the scroll in his hand, a thick stack, densely packed with the names of the children who had come for the Spirit testing this time, at least two hundred of them. The Spirit Testing Platform was a brand-new second-grade Magical Artifact, with three white jade pillars standing tall, the pillars flowing with spiritual light, capable of clearly testing the Spiritual Root grade and attributes. Standing behind him were twelve deacons in green shirts, all reliable disciples from the clan at the Late Stage of Qi Refining. There were patrol teams at the foot of the mountain, and clan elders sitting in charge on the mountain. Everything was in perfect order.

Ye Pingan exhaled softly, suppressing the surging emotions in his heart, unfolded the scroll in his hand, and announced in a clear voice: "The First Spirit Testing Ceremony of the Ye Family of Longmai Mountain, now begins!" "All children whose names are called, come forward in order, place your hands on the Spirit Testing Pillar, and calm your mind and focus." He paused, his clear voice spreading throughout the entire venue: