There were only a few of his children that Wen Xiangzhi wasn't entirely sure about, but even then, he could sense that even if they had spiritual roots, they wouldn't be particularly strong—at best, they might have five spiritual roots, which wasn't even as good as his own.
Wen Xiangzhi thought back to his own experience. He had tested as having four spiritual roots, but even after all those years of cultivation, he had only reached the second level of the Qi Refining stage. For those with five spiritual roots, they might not even manage to enter the Qi Refining stage at all. In that case, it would be better for them to focus on learning a craft and securing a stable livelihood rather than wasting time on cultivation.
However, there was one exception—his eldest grandson.
Wen Xiangzhi's eldest grandson was the first child of his eldest son. His son had married young, at the age of sixteen, and his daughter-in-law had quickly become pregnant, giving birth to Wen's eldest grandson the following year.
The grandson had been born in the afternoon, just as Wen Xiangzhi was meditating in his study. To his surprise, while he was concentrating on his cultivation, he noticed a faint but unusual fluctuation in the otherwise scarce spiritual energy around him.
Unsure if it was a mistake, he cautiously interrupted his meditation to investigate. After thoroughly checking the area and finding nothing unusual, the strange fluctuation disappeared. Just then, his sharp hearing, far keener than that of an ordinary person, caught the loud cry of a newborn baby from his eldest son's courtyard.
Wen Xiangzhi couldn't help but feel that this grandson of his might be special.
He named the boy Wen Liyun.
From that day onward, Wen Xiangzhi made sure to observe Wen Liyun closely, keeping him by his side for several days each year to examine his bone structure carefully.
Though he couldn't determine too much, it was clear that Wen Liyun's physique was different from other children. He learned to walk and talk much earlier and faster than the other children.
Because of this, Wen Xiangzhi held his grandson in high regard.
From the time Wen Liyun turned two, Wen Xiangzhi began taking him to his study every day, quietly teaching him from a mysterious book, which no one else was allowed to interrupt.
Wen Xiangzhi's eldest son had glimpsed this book on a few occasions when he brought his son to the study. The book didn't look like anything sold in bookstores; it appeared to have been bound by hand.
When Wen Liyun turned four or five, despite his grandfather's constant reminders not to reveal what he was learning to anyone—not even his parents—he still let slip bits and pieces.
His father, Wen's eldest son, was well-read, but he found himself utterly baffled by the fragments his son shared. His wife, being a simple village girl with little education, understood even less.
It wasn't until rumors spread about Shangyang Sect recruiting new disciples and tales of the immortal-like feats of Lingxian Sect began circulating in the town that Wen's eldest son had a sudden realization. He became convinced that whatever his father was teaching his son might have something to do with cultivation.
As a result, without any further prompting from Wen Xiangzhi, he kept an even closer eye on his son.
When Wen Xiangzhi decided to move to Shuishui City, it further reinforced his eldest son's suspicions. He became excited at the thought that perhaps his own son might have a chance at cultivation.
Unfortunately, the child was still too young. When Lingxian Sect held its first recruitment event, Wen Xiangzhi hadn't been willing to send his grandson.
He preferred to teach the boy himself for a while longer, hoping that once Wen Liyun successfully entered the Qi Refining stage, it wouldn't be too late to send him to the sect.
But after that first recruitment event, despite spending a significant amount of money trying to gather information from various sources, Wen Xiangzhi couldn't find any news about Lingxian Sect's next recruitment.
Unlike the three major sects, which had established channels for announcing their recruitment drives—channels accessible to anyone willing to spend a little money to inquire at the government or black markets—Lingxian Sect did not follow the usual rules. This left Wen Xiangzhi feeling increasingly anxious.
He had heard that Lingxian Sect didn't require its disciples to sever ties with their families. If his grandson successfully became a cultivator, he could help support the family, couldn't he?
For months, Wen Xiangzhi had been unable to sleep properly or eat comfortably. His anxiety even kept him from visiting his concubines' chambers.
So, as soon as Wen Xiangzhi heard the news about Shuishui City, he made up his mind without hesitation and decided to move the entire family there.
Whether his children were willing or not, none dared to oppose their aging but authoritative father. They packed up their belongings and set off as a family.
The journey to Shuishui City was neither lonely nor dangerous.
Their old home was in a neighboring province, not too far away. Along the way, they encountered other travelers heading toward Shuishui City as well.
Some were tourists, drawn by the city's reputation, while others, like the Wen family, planned to settle down.
Their group grew larger with each passing day, and soon, the long line of people and carriages stretched endlessly along the road.
By the time they entered the borders of Lakefang Province, the government had even dispatched guards to escort them!
Wen Xiangzhi's eldest son spoke with one of the guards and learned that the orders had come from Liaoju, the provincial capital, directing the guards to ensure the safety of those heading to Shuishui City.
When this news spread throughout the group, their anxiety about leaving their homeland eased, and they began to feel much more secure.
The main road leading to Shuishui City was one of the widest and smoothest in the province, second only to the one leading to the provincial capital itself.
The massive procession moved quickly along this broad road.
The closer they got to Shuishui City, the smoother the road became. The bumps that had made the ride uncomfortable for Wen Xiangzhi's second daughter-in-law just a few days earlier were gone, and now she was even cheerful enough to playfully tease her sister-in-law's baby girl.
"Grandfather, I see the city gates!" came the voice of Wen Liyun, the eldest grandson, from one of the front carriages.
Inside the carriage, Wen Xiangzhi looked fondly at his grandson, who was peeking out from the curtains. He chuckled and said, "Yes, we'll be arriving in Shuishui City soon."
"Oh—oh! We're almost there!" Wen Liyun, who had just turned eight, cheered excitedly.
The journey had left the boy restless.
"Quiet down! What has Grandfather always taught you?" Wen Xiangzhi scolded, his tone stern.
Wen Liyun quickly fell silent, watching the passing trees outside the window before asking again, "Grandfather, is Shuishui City fun?"
Wen Xiangzhi, both helpless and amused, replied, "Now that you're getting older, you mustn't always think of playing. You've already been slacking on your studies these past few days. Once we settle in the city, it will be time to focus and study hard again."