As the mighty voice gradually faded, three elders of the ancient clan, clad in strict, traditional attire, rose from their seats not far away, faces somber, and proceeded to the center of the square. At that place, there were already many implements set up; the ceremony of adulthood in the ancient clan was quite elaborate. In the ancient clan, only after experiencing the ceremony of adulthood could one be considered fully grown. After the ritual, these young people could truly become the core of the clan, and even the so-called marriage alliances could only be conducted after the coming-of-age ceremony.
“True strong figures from the Ancient Clan have yet to show themselves…” Xiao Yan’s gaze swept over this unique area but, aside from a few elders from the Ancient Clan, he did not see any figures of authority like the leader of the Ancient Clan. Clearly, even during this time, these grand figures refrained from appearing easily. But just who was the previous voice with the Overlord’s oppressive aura? From the ranks of the Ancient Clan, no less.
“Though they’ve not shown themselves, there are some faint, hidden auras in the sky. It seems these great personages are also paying attention here, just not revealing themselves,” Xiao Yan realized after his keen soul senses detected the strange fluctuations in the sky after a brief probe.
“The ceremony shall begin, Ling Quan!”
As Xiao Yan pondered, the three elder members of the Ancients were ready on the field, and then, following the list, read out a name that struck a rather familiar chord in Xiao Yan’s mind.
Hearing the names called out by the three elders, Ling Quan hurriedly stood up and, with a movement full of youthful vigor, leapt into the field. He respectfully bowed to the three elders. The number of young adults within the Ancient race was not insignificant, but only a rare few were permitted to hold such a ceremony of adulting. These individuals were undoubtedly the best of the younger generation, hence it was no wonder there was a hint of pride upon Ling Quan’s face.
In the field, an elder of the Ancient Clan, with a solemn expression, clenched his hand, and a nearly zhang-sized star chart appeared before him. Ling Quan quickly stepped forward and placed his hand on the astrological chart, closing his eyes.
As Ling Quan’s eyes closed, the star chart abruptly burst forth with a brilliant light, six stars gradually appearing.
Upon seeing these six stars, the elderly man of the Gu Clan nodded. Then, he shouted loudly: “Ling Quan, seventh commander of the Black Obliteration Army, First Star Dou Zun strength, Sixth Grade lineage power, after discussion and decision by the assembly of elders, is granted the golden clan symbol!”
“Actually a golden clan symbol, worthy of being the seventh commander…”
Hearing the elder’s proclamation, those present among the Gu Clan murmured amongst themselves with a touch of envy.
At those words, the eyes of Ling Quan lit up with delight. He dropped to one knee, lifting his head as an elder member of the Gu Clan held a brush shimmering with a golden light and skillfully drew mystical markings which then appeared on Ling Quan’s forehead, emitting a resplendent radiance and suffusing with a unique energy fluctuation.
“Sixth-grade bloodline level? Golden Clan Symbol? What in the world are these?”
Xiao Yan found these entirely unfamiliar, and with a slight frown, he questioned Xun’er.
“Bloodlines of the Gu clan are categorized into ten levels, with first being the lowest and tenth being the highest…. However, typically, only those with at least fourth rank bloodlines can partake in the rites of passage. For Ling Quan to reach sixth, is already fairly impressive.”
Xun’er gave a gentle smile, explaining: “As for the golden clan symbol, it is an evaluation of the aforementioned conditions. This type of symbol originates from an ancient legacy of our Gu clan that, in times of peril, temporarily boosts the user’s blood energy, allowing them to overcome danger. This symbol is split into four tiers—silver, gold, purple-gold, and seven colored gold. Tiers are distinguished by color, and Ling Quan’s symbol, the golden one, stands as the second tier.”
“Such a symbol has such a miraculous effect?” Surprised, Xiao Yan queried.
“Yes, it is said that this symbol was created by our ancestral forefathers, those who had reached the realm of Overlord. Nevertheless, after acquiring the symbol, one needs to undergo a month of warming it up before its power can take effect.” Xun’er smiled and explained.
Slightly nodding, Xiao Yan thought that the Gu Ritual was merely a formality, but unexpectedly, there turned out to be additional benefits. No wonder these fellows viewed the rite of passage as so important. It seemed that the main reason still circled back to this symbol.
“Has Xun’er’s lineage reached the tenth grade? Is she eligible for a seven-colored golden clan badge then?” Xiao Yan asked with a laugh.
“I’ve not taken a test since my last seclusion, but a tenth-grade heritage bloodline, otherwise known as Divine-class, hasn’t emerged in the Gu Clan for a thousand years or so. I doubt Xun’er reaches that level… as for the seven-hued golden mark, there’s perhaps only one such in the entire clan now, and even that’s been locked away, nobody having met the required standard for a long time.”
Xun’er shook her head, saying that.
“Hehe, by the blood grade standards of the ancient clan, reaching the tenth-level blood means having the potential to progress to the level of Holy. As for a Divine-class, perhaps the potential would be enough to bring one to the pinnacle. Of course, I think achieving that should be exceedingly hard. Divine-class bloodlines haven’t been seen in a very, very long time.”
Up front, Mang Tianzhi also twisted his head with a sly grin.
Xiao Yan was impressed. This was the deep-rooted power of the ancient clan, truly awe-inspiring…
“Next, Lin Xiu!”
While Xiao Yan chatted with Xun Er, another announcement rang out on the field. Immediately, Lin Xiu stood, his face flushed with excitement. He strode down onto the field, and following the same procedure as Ling Quan, walked through the process again. Still, the constellation depicted on his star disk had only six stars.
“Lin Xiu, third commander of the black obliterated army, five-star overlord, sixth-grade lineage. Confer the golden clan emblem!”
On witnessing that Lin Xiu, with his five-star strength, was awarded only a golden tribal design, Xiao Yan discerned the difficulty in elevating through the ranks. In this case, strength was likely not the primary criterion; the true essence lay in the rank of linage.
Even though both shared the same golden seal, Lin Xiu’s gleamed more vividly than Ling Quan’s. Perhaps such a difference signified the gap in their overall prowess.
“Next…”
After Lingquan and Lin Xiu, more formidable youngsters from the Ancient Race entered the arena one after another, each demonstrating impressive strength. However, none exceeded the sixth grade in lineage. This only reinforced Xiao Yan’s understanding that improving ones lineage grade in the Ancient Race indeed posed a great challenge.
“Gu Zhen, supreme commander of the Black Obliteration Army, Seven-Star Overlord, Seventh Lineage Rank, Granted…”
Just as Xiao Yan was growing a bit impatient, with the seemingly endless ceremony, the voice in the arena, suddenly paused, causing Xiao Yan to pay closer attention.
“Gu Zhen?”
Upon hearing the name, Xiao Yan’s heart twitched, and he lifted his head, looking towards the arena. There, he saw Gu Zhen, kneel on one knee, gazing calmly at the three whispering elders.
The spectators in the plaza looked at each other, then focused their gaze on Gu Zhen. Clearly, this guy was different from the others.
After a brief huddle, the three elders finally stopped, and one gripped his hand, and a brush of purple-gold materialized in it.
“Truly the Purple-Gold Pen!”
Seeing the purple-gold pen in the elder’s hand, astonishment rippled through the crowd in the pavilion.
“Following the consultation among the elders, Gu Zhen’s battle achievements are notable, and his character steadfast. Therefore, we confer upon him the Purple-Gold emblem!” declared an elder with a stern face. Instantaneously, energy surged from his palm, moving the purple-gold writing brush, rapidly leaving a symbol of radiant purple-gold hue on Gu Zhen’s brow. Although the shade of the purple-gold appeared somewhat light, it still evoked envious gazes from the audience.
“Strictly speaking, according to lineage, Gu Zhen doesn’t meet the criteria for the Purple-Gold emblem. However, due to his high reputation in the Black Obliteration Army, almost reaching the level of the four Grand Commanders, the council of elders broke the protocol this once.”
As Xiao Yan was observing Gu Zhen in the arena, a gentle voice whispered beside him, elucidating things — naturally, it was Xun’er.
With a slight nod, recalling how calm and steady he was, Xiao Yan knew well that should this person ever assume a high position in the Ancient Clan, he would certainly achieve remarkable feats.
“This Ancient Clan is indeed a fountain of talents, truly deserving of its title as an age-old faction, robust and unyielding through the countless eras.”
Despite receiving the surprising Purple-Gold emblem, Gu Zhen’s demeanor remained composed, bowing courteously to the three elders, then rising. With grace, he retreated under the numerous envious gazes, returning to his seat. When seated, his glance briefly met Xiao Yan’s, accompanied by a subtle nod.
Smiling warmly in return to this gesture, Xiao Yan was about to speak, but suddenly, he sensed the air temperature drastically drop.
Amid this transformation, Xiao Yan’s gaze slowly moved, ultimately settling on the cold figure ahead. At this moment, Asura, one of the four prominent commanders of the Ancient Clan, was standing under the attention of the entire crowd, silently stepping forward, striding methodically towards the arena.
“Is it his turn…”
Feeling the chill and silence engulfing the atmosphere, Xiao Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly with curiosity. How far could this formidable opponent possibly reach?
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