Gu Qingli frowned. The woman's flamboyant, coquettish demeanor was deeply off-putting—especially that bitter expression and those ceaselessly turning, calculating eyes. One glance was enough to know she was not someone easy to deal with.
Beside Han Jiao stood her six-year-old daughter, Gu Qinglin. Even in their brief encounters, Gu Qingli had clearly sensed the jealousy brimming in the girl's gaze whenever it fell upon her own mother.
What Gu Qingli did not know was that, years ago, Han Jiao had set her sights on Gu Zhan—powerful, disciplined, and upright—intending to marry him.
Yet despite her repeated seductions, Gu Zhan remained utterly unmoved, treating her as if she were venomous.
In the end, having failed to win him, Han Jiao had no choice but to settle for his third brother, becoming his second wife.
Ouyang Qian, on the other hand, was different. Gu Zhan had fallen for her at first sight. After a devoted courtship, they married, and from that moment on, he cherished her deeply, never seeking affection elsewhere.
Thus, whether in status or in the love she received, Ouyang Qian far surpassed Han Jiao. Naturally, Han Jiao was consumed with envy.
"Sister-in-law, I wonder how talented your little Li might be?" Han Jiao asked, eyes narrowing with a sly glint.
"No matter Li'er's aptitude," Ouyang Qian replied mildly, "as her parents, our love for her will remain unwavering."
Han Jiao curled her lip in silent disdain. So what if Gu Zhan was strong and gifted? In the end, he was merely a Martial Swordsman. What was that compared to the esteemed status of a Spirit Enchanter? Her own husband held that title—even if his power was modest, the bloodline might very well pass to their daughter.
And when that day came, when her daughter was recognized for her rare gift, all the years of neglect and dismissal would finally be avenged.
"Mother, come quickly! It's almost time to go in," Gu Qingli called, unwilling to let her kind and gentle mother speak further with such a woman.
Ouyang Qian thought her daughter was merely being petulant. With an apologetic smile toward Han Jiao, she quickly joined her child. Her petite, graceful figure nestled against the broad-shouldered man beside her—a picture of harmony and affection.
Han Jiao clenched her teeth at the sight of this blissful family. Smile while you can. When Gu Qingli is revealed to be without talent, and my Lin'er is declared a prodigy, let's see if you can still wear that smile.
Let's see if Gu Zhan won't regret everything—his child, born of this woman, nothing but a useless waste, while mine will prove to be a true genius!
Within the grand hall of the Gu family, the vast chamber bustled with people. The innocent chatter of children filled the air. Nearly every child of this generation had gathered here.
Today, their gifts would be tested—gifts that might very well determine the course of their entire lives.
Gu Qingli's gaze had already fixed upon the marble platform at the front. Roughly a meter high, it held two large, uniquely shaped glass vessels. Each consisted of a hemisphere topped by a tall tube, as thick as a wrist and rising two meters into the air.
The vessels were identical in shape, placed on opposite sides. One base was a solid black, the other crystal clear.
It was said that the black one tested for Spirit Enchanters, while the transparent one was for Martial Swordsmen. By placing a palm upon the base, one could see which tube lit up. A glowing tube revealed one's path; if neither lit up, the person was deemed ordinary. The brighter the light, the greater the future potential—and the dimmer, the lesser.