Transmigrated into a Grandpa, Embracing the Laid-Back Life-Chapter 9: I Can’t Survive Anymore

The days passed by in a cycle of concealing one's abilities during the day and cultivating diligently at night, and before they knew it, a month had gone by.

Su Ming's eyes were much brighter than before, and the entire person resembled a small blade of grass stubbornly growing through cracks in stone, exuding a silent tenacity.

His changes were noticed by everyone in the household.

At the dinner table, Wang Chuntao's sarcastic remarks had decreased significantly, because she discovered that this younger brother-in-law was much more efficient at chores than before, whether chopping firewood or carrying water, never complaining of exhaustion.

Mrs. Chen, on the other hand, felt increasingly heartache for him, always trying to find ways to prepare some tasty treats for him.

The one who had changed the most was Su Shan.

One evening, Su Shan returned from town carrying a small package.

During dinner, in front of the whole family, he opened that oil-paper wrapped package.

Inside weren't food items, but rather a stack of hemp paper, a small ink stick, and a brand new writing brush.

"For... for me?" Su Ming was stunned.

These items would cost the family several days' worth of expenses.

"Mm." Su Shan squeezed out a single word through clenched teeth, pushing the items toward Su Ming. "Teacher Zhou said you... are diligent. Stop using charcoal sticks."

Su Feng and Wang Chuntao both stared in astonishment.

Su Yang, however, smiled. He patted Su Ming's shoulder, his eyes filled with heartfelt relief.

Su Ming's eyes instantly reddened. He grasped that writing brush that still carried the scent of ink, holding it as if it were the most precious treasure in the entire world.

"Father..."

"Eat!" Su Shan roughly cut him off, burying his head in his bowl to shovel rice.

At night.

Su Ming used his new writing brush to carefully copy the "Hundred Family Surnames" character by character onto the new paper. The newly purchased brush had a flexible tip, and the hemp paper carried a faint fragrance of grass and wood, infinitely better than the rough wooden boards.

He wrote slowly and steadily.

For each character, he first mentally reviewed the stroke structure that Lin Yu had deconstructed before putting brush to paper.

"Zhao, Qian, Sun, Li..."

"Hmm, not bad." Lin Yu's lazy voice sounded in Su Ming's mind, like a foreman inspecting his own enterprise. "After more than a month of intensive training, your common character library has expanded to six hundred and three characters. Barely meets our company's 'intern' hiring standards."

The little abacus in his mind clicked loudly: "Physical fitness KPIs are steadily improving, cultural KPIs exceeded expectations. It's just this 'spiritual energy node exploration' project—not a shred of progress after a whole month. This backwater place really is a strategically abandoned region."

He changed his tone: "The ring that houses my soul is called the 'Profound Heaven Ring.' It contains its own internal space, storing some of this old man's collections from back in the day. But to open it requires something called 'spiritual energy.'"

"Spiritual energy?" This was the first time Su Ming had heard this term.

"Yes, a type of energy that drifts freely between heaven and earth. You ordinary mortals cannot perceive it, much less utilize it." Lin Yu dangled the bait. "Only by absorbing spiritual energy into your body and embarking on the path of cultivation can you truly push open the door to a new world. Only then will you have even the slightest bit of self-preservation ability."

"Then how... how can I obtain spiritual energy?" Su Ming's heart pounded wildly.

"Difficult, more difficult than ascending to the blue heavens." Lin Yu's tone was filled with worldly wisdom. "Places rich in spiritual energy are all occupied by major sects and powerful factions. As a mountain village boy, how can you compete? Unless... you have the assistance of heavenly treasures and earthly wonders."

He deliberately paused, fully arousing Su Ming's anticipation.

"Or, with the most basic energy guidance method, forcibly draw a wisp into your body at a relatively abundant spiritual energy node, igniting the spark of cultivation."

"Master, do you have such a method?"

"Yes, naturally I do." Lin Yu's voice carried a trace of pride. "But we have the method—where is the spiritual energy node? This impoverished backwater has spiritual energy as thin as the rice soup in a widow's household—where could we possibly find one?"

Su Ming's heart, which had just been ignited, was doused with a bucket of cold water.

"However..." Lin Yu spoke again, "Nothing is absolutely certain. Perhaps nearby, there hides some weak node that we don't know about. Starting tomorrow, besides your cultivation, you need to do one more thing."

"What thing?"

"Observe." Lin Yu said solemnly. "Use the meditation method you've learned to perceive your surroundings. Where do you feel most comfortable, where do the flowers and grass grow most luxuriantly, where are the insects most active... Spiritual energy is the source of all living things' vitality. Where it exists, all things will be different."

"Find it. This is your first real test to enter the path."

Ten days later.

"Master, I still can't sense the 'spiritual energy' you mentioned." He felt somewhat discouraged. "I've checked all around the village—the place where flowers and grass grow most luxuriantly is behind Aunt Li's outhouse, and where the most insects gather is under Butcher Wang's meat table."

Lin Yu's soul twitched.

"Ahem, process of elimination—this also demonstrates a scientific spirit of exploration." He forcefully saved face. "This shows that the true opportunity isn't in this tiny place. We need to set our sights further."

Just then, Second Brother Su Yang's voice came from outside the courtyard gate.

"Little Ming, are you asleep? Wake up early tomorrow, don't be late again."

"Got it, Brother!" Su Ming quickly responded, blowing out the oil lamp.

In the darkness, he carefully placed the written papers under his pillow, as if they weren't just paper, but stepping stones leading to the future.

The next day, at the schoolhouse.

After finishing the day's lessons, Teacher Zhou didn't dismiss class as usual. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

He cleared his throat, his slightly cloudy eyes sweeping over each young face, and the schoolhouse instantly fell silent.

"There's one matter I need to discuss with you all." Teacher Zhou's voice carried a note of gravity. "At the beginning of next month, the county academy in Qingshi Town will open registration for the 'Tongsheng' examination records. Anyone ten years or older, with a guarantor's recommendation, can register to obtain eligibility to take the Xiucai examination next spring."

The room erupted in barely suppressed commotion.

Take the Xiucai examination!

For these mountain village children, these three words seemed as distant as the moon in the sky.

"This old teacher, entrusted by my mentor from the county academy, can recommend two people." Teacher Zhou's statement was like a massive rock thrown into a pond, stirring up waves.

Two spots!

Everyone's breathing grew heavy, their eyes burning with intense light.

Su Ming's heart thumped violently.

Go to town? Take the Xiucai examination?

He instinctively looked toward Teacher Zhou, his eyes unable to conceal his longing.

"Quiet!" Teacher Zhou rapped the table with his ruler. "This matter is no trivial affair. The journey is long, and travel expenses must be provided by yourselves. More importantly, those I recommend must have upright character and solid scholarship. Over the next half month, I will select two of you based on merit."

With a loud clang, the dismissal bell rang. The children burst out of the schoolhouse like a flock of startled sparrows, carrying this astonishing news to every corner of the village.

Su Ming remained frozen in place, his mind in complete turmoil.