Chapter 246: The Ceremony
The Next Day
As the first rays of dawn broke over the horizon, the entire Ancient Sacred Mountain Range came alive with activity. Today was the day the Ancient Clan held the coming-of-age ceremony for their younger generation.
"Swish!"
In the sky, a majestic white unicorn with powerful wings flew gracefully, finally landing in the center of the palace complex. Xiao Tian held Xun'er's hand as they dismounted from the unicorn and descended towards the ground.
With Xun'er by his side, Xiao Tian naturally became the center of attention. However, both of them ignored the surrounding stares and headed towards the grand plaza.
Around the plaza, many figures had already taken their seats. Xiao Tian followed Xun'er to the center of the plaza.
"Clang!"
As they approached, two golden-armored warriors blocked their path with long spears. Xun'er's face darkened with anger as she coldly commanded, "Move aside!"
"Miss, there's no need to make things difficult for them. This area is restricted to clan members and specially invited guests only," said an elder who bore a striking resemblance to Gu Qian.
"That's right, elder brother. Although Xiao Tian is your friend, he doesn't meet the requirements," Gu Qian added.
"Gu Xu, Gu Qian, you dare bully my friend!" An angry voice rang out, causing both elders to turn pale. But upon seeing who it was, their expressions grew serious. "Mang Tianchi?"
Mang Tianchi landed gracefully and looked towards the sky. "Old monster Shan, you shouldn't be biased. As an elder, you should not trouble the younger generation. It's unbecoming."
The sky rippled slightly, and a black-robed elder appeared, bowing slightly to Xun'er before addressing Mang Tianchi. "Alright, I'll give you this one chance."
With that, he flicked his sleeves and disappeared, not sparing Xiao Tian a glance.
Xiao Tian harbored no goodwill towards those who tried to obstruct him. With a thought, he unleashed a peculiar wave of energy.
"Whoosh!"
In an instant, a black phantom flame appeared within the bodies of Shan Lao, Gu Xu, and Gu Qian. The flame, carrying a terrifying aura of death, immediately began to wither their bodies.
Their faces turned ashen as they quickly sat down to suppress the flame.
"Hmm?"
This scene naturally attracted the attention of many. Mang Tianchi looked meaningfully at Xiao Tian, as even he hadn't noticed the attack. This strange fire was very similar to the Fallen Heart Flame.
Previously, he had visited Jia Nan Academy and learned that the Fallen Heart Flame he had sealed was taken by Xiao Tian, who then provided the academy with a young Fallen Heart Flame, solving their issue. This was why Mang Tianchi decided to help Xiao Tian.
"Thank you, Dean Mang," Xiao Tian said, clasping his fists in gratitude.
"Let's go," Mang Tianchi replied. They walked past the three elders and took their seats.
Fortunately, Xiao Tian had only given them a minor punishment, not intending to kill them. The three quickly suppressed the phantom black flame, though it left behind significant damage, greatly diminishing their strength.
This phantom black flame was a fusion of the Dead Flame from the Dead Flame Spirit Pool and the Fallen Heart Flame. This new flame not only had the eerie qualities of the Fallen Heart Flame but also carried the deadly aura of the Dead Flame. Had Xiao Tian intended to kill them, they would have perished instantly, as even the strongest among them, Gu Shan, was only at the nine-turn level.
"Clang~"
An ancient bell rang out, followed by a majestic voice emanating from the void. "The auspicious hour has arrived. Let the ceremony begin!"
This voice carried an immense pressure, causing many in the plaza to gasp in awe, as it belonged to a true Dou Saint.
As the voice faded, three stern-looking elders from the Ancient Clan stood up and entered the plaza. The Ancient Clan, being a powerful ancient family, had a very elaborate coming-of-age ceremony.
Within the Ancient Clan, only those who had undergone this ceremony were considered adults and thus eligible for marriage.
"The ceremony begins. First, Gu Lingquan!" One of the elders read from the list.
Gu Lingquan confidently stepped forward and saluted the three elders. One elder produced a star disk about a foot in size. When Gu Lingquan tested it, six stars lit up.
"Gu Lingquan, Seventh Commander of the Black Abyss Army, One-Star Dou Zun, Six-Grade Bloodline," an elder announced loudly. "The Council of Elders has decided to bestow upon you the Golden Clan Mark!"
"Ancient Clan bloodlines are ranked from one to ten, with one being the lowest and ten being the highest. Only those with a grade four or higher bloodline can participate in the coming-of-age ceremony," Xun'er explained to Xiao Tian. "The clan marks are ancient inheritances that temporarily activate the power of one's bloodline, greatly enhancing one's strength. They come in four grades: silver, gold, purple gold, and seven colors."
"Next, Gu Yao!"
One by one, the younger generation of the Ancient Clan were tested, and soon it was Gu Yao's turn. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Gu Yao walked to the center.
When Gu Yao placed his hand on the star disk, eight stars lit up.
Seeing these eight stars, even the three elders were momentarily stunned. After a brief pause, smiles appeared on their stern faces.
"Gu Yao, one of the Four Commanders of the Black Abyss Army, Eight-Star Dou Zun, Eight-Grade Bloodline, bestowed with the Purple Gold Clan Mark!" an elder proclaimed. Another elder took a purple gold dragon pen and drew a mysterious mark on Gu Yao's forehead.
Drawing such a high-grade clan mark was taxing, even for the elder, who had sweat forming on his forehead.
"The mark is complete. Gu Yao, step down. Next…"
Before the elder could finish, Gu Yao coldly asked, "In this coming-of-age ceremony, do I have the right to challenge anyone?"
Hearing this, many turned to look at Xiao Tian with schadenfreude.
The three elders hesitated before nodding. "According to the rules, you may challenge anyone in the clan. For outsiders, their consent is required."
Gu Yao turned, his black and white hair striking against the backdrop. His cold gaze fell on Xiao Tian. "To gain the recognition of the Ancient Clan, you must prove yourself. I now offer you the chance to challenge me. If you dare not accept, you better leave the Ancient Realm at once!"
(End of Chapter)
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