Li Erni, whose formal name was Li Hong, was the second daughter of Uncle Li Fang.  

The moment this name was mentioned, Li Pingfu's mind immediately conjured an image of a plain-faced girl with square, honest features.  

If nothing else, that face unmistakably proved she was Uncle Li Fang's biological daughter. Her personality was similar too - honest, hardworking, and not particularly eloquent.  

Li Pingfu wasn't stupid. The way Li Yuan had asked suggested his family might be considering matching Li Erni with him and were testing the waters first.  

"Marriage matters should follow parents' orders and matchmakers' words. I can't decide this myself," he said, employing a stalling tactic.  

"Alright," Li Yuan replied, disappointed and slightly embarrassed by the non-answer. He quickly changed the subject: "My sister Li Qian will have her spiritual roots tested after the New Year."  

Immediately realizing his blunder - mentioning spiritual root testing to Li Pingcan who had failed his own test - he grew even more flustered.  

Li Pingcan didn't mind. "That's wonderful news," he said warmly, then carefully explained the testing process until Li Yuan relaxed and their conversation became lively again.  

By sunset, when the girls finished their shuttlecock games sweaty and exhausted, little Li Qian clung to her brother's leg like a bear cub rolling about. "Brother, I'm hungry!" she whined, her sturdy frame inherited from Li Fang making her playful tugs surprisingly forceful.  

"Little bear! Hungry, are you?" Li Yuan laughed, scooping her up. "Pingfu, we're heading home. See you tomorrow!"  

......  

"Brother, what do you think about Li Erni?"  

At the Li family dinner table, Li Pingcan's curious question drew everyone's attention.  

Li Pingfu recounted his conversation with Li Yuan that day.  

"Our son's grown up - old enough to start eyeing other families' cabbages," Li Rongzhou mused nostalgically, amazed how quickly his children had reached marriageable age.  

Lady Qin considered carefully. "Erni is honest, diligent and capable - she'd manage household affairs well. But it depends on whether Pingfu likes her."  

Peach Blossom Village marriages traditionally matched social equals. Having watched Li Erni grow up, they knew her background well - she was a suitable candidate.  

But suitability wasn't everything. Lady Qin herself had married Li Rongzhou for love, and naturally hoped her son would find someone who truly understood him.  

Uncharacteristically, Li Ping'an didn't tease his elder brother, lost in his own thoughts.  

Li Pingcan observed Li Pingfu, thinking Erni's reserved nature might not suit his quick-witted brother. In his eyes, his eldest brother deserved the finest woman in the land - Li Erni seemed too ordinary.  

The entire family set down their chopsticks, staring intently at Li Pingfu.  

Given the choice, Li Pingfu spoke frankly: "I don't plan to marry so young. I want to focus on martial training."  

Truthfully, he had no particular feelings toward Li Erni - or any village girl for that matter. His heart remained untouched by romance, wholly devoted to advancing his martial path toward opening a training hall someday.  

What could compare to the joy of martial arts?  

While there was no formal concept of "virgin cultivation," historical records suggested maintaining one's vital essence before reaching the Divine Execution Realm - especially during the Blood Qi Realm - accelerated progress.  

"Fair enough," Li Rongzhou agreed, sharing his son's ambition for a martial school.  

Though disappointed about delayed grandchildren, Lady Qin wouldn't force the matter.  

With parental approval secured, Li Pingfu clapped Li Ping'an's shoulder teasingly: "Little brother, the sacred duty of continuing our lineage falls to you now!"  

"Is this how an elder brother should talk to his sibling?" Li Ping'an retorted, swatting the hand away while privately considering that if his brother's martial school succeeded, it might elevate the family's marriage prospects and social connections.  

Every bit of family advancement could become his own stepping stone.  

Education not only brought wisdom but revealed the vast, unbridgeable gaps between social strata. Growing older, he increasingly understood how some were born with golden spoons, effortlessly obtaining what others struggled for lifetimes to attain.  

Giving up would be easier, but his goal of becoming an immortal official never wavered.  

"Father, mother," Li Ping'an announced solemnly, "Teacher Xie says my studies have progressed enough to attempt the autumn examinations."  

The family beamed with pride.  

"We'll prepare everything you need for the exam," Li Rongzhou said warmly.  

Imperial examinations progressed through preliminary, provincial, metropolitan, and palace levels. Passing all three preliminary tests conferred the xiucai degree with tax exemptions.  

Li Pingcan knew Teacher Xie was a stern, traditional scholar whose academic standards were exacting. If he said Li Ping'an was ready, success was almost certain.  

Passing the preliminary exams might even lead to provincial success!  

His second brother was truly remarkable - those dense classical texts would put Li Pingcan to sleep instantly!  

......  

"If only my little mushrooms could transmit messages like simplified versions of immortal communication jades," Li Pingcan mused. "Then if second brother forgot a passage during exams, I could whisper reminders."  

He wondered if he should focus more on spore-based abilities - every family member traveling abroad could carry a mushroom.  

But dreams were sweet while reality proved harsh. For now, Li Ping'an would have to rely solely on his own talent and effort.  

......  

Autumn examinations arrived swiftly at Yunshui County, requiring a town carriage ride.  

Li Rongzhou accompanied Li Ping'an for three days. When they returned, Li Ping'an had visibly withered - his already lean frame now gaunt as a withered stalk rather than the elegant bamboo scholar.  

Lady Qin tearfully prepared a feast.  

Over dinner, they learned Li Ping'an had been assigned the worst examination booth - reeking so foul he couldn't eat, shivering under thin blankets at night on hard floors in cramped quarters. Thick quilts were prohibited to prevent cheating.  

Fortunately, his Breath of the Tree technique maintained body warmth despite the cold. Several elderly examinees had collapsed and been carried out, unable to endure the three-day ordeal.  

"Martial training does have merits," Li Ping'an conceded. Had his father not forced him to practice health-preserving techniques, he might have failed miserably.  

"Then train more with me," Li Pingcan immediately suggested, not daring to ask about exam results. Between the stench and chill, how could anyone perform well?  

Seven days later, just as the family assumed Li Ping'an had failed, festive gongs echoed from the village entrance to their doorstep.  

Villagers gathered curiously as a beaming messenger in red sash announced joyfully:  

"Peach Blossom Village's Li Ping'an - you've passed! Top scorer in the county examinations!"