Even though Fang Yuan was not paying attention to her, which Shen Cui chalked up to simple stress for the upcoming ceremony, Fang Zheng couldn't help but enviously glance at the two of them.
Ever since they had been orphaned at a young age, the two brothers had been taken care of by their aunt and uncle. 'Taken care of' was used here more in the mafia sense of the word rather than the parental sense- Cinderella was likely treated better by her stepmother than the two were treated by their aunt and uncle.
In truth their 'adoption' was merely a way for the two to embezzle their parent's assets. Of course, while their treatment was subpar, it wasn't like they could do whatsoever they wanted. They couldn't kill the two of them, and the day would eventually come when the two brothers were old enough to strike out on their own, and more worrisome, able to inherit their parent's fortune.
They already had plans in motion to deal with this. Much like an invading force might use the tactic of 'divide and conquer' they too had applied something masterfully to the two brothers.
Their treatment couldn't have been more different- one could see it even in the clothes they were adorned in for the awakening ceremony.
Fang Yuan was dressed as one would expect the young master of an influential house to dress on such an occasion, while Fang Zheng was dressed like a commoner. Fang Yuan had Shen Cui to dote upon him, though this was more truly a way for this aunt and uncle to keep him under their thumb. Fang Zheng hadn't even had a servant initially until Fang Yuan explicitly asked one for him, and she was an old lady, Shen Cui's mother.
The purpose of this was to drive a wedge between the two brothers so that their aunt and uncle could more easily manipulate them by egging them against one another.
Fang Yuan, before he had mysteriously transmigrated to this world, had been a Chinese scholar. What that meant was that he already had the wisdom of an adult, though even he had been deceived somewhat by his aunt and uncle's schemes. Fang Zheng was even more susceptible, having none of this advantage.
Not that Fang Yuan cared the slightest for this. He could see beyond these petty schemes, and he had risen far above the confines of this village in his last life.
The world was vast, and stretched far beyond Gu Yue village. He only needed to become strong enough to explore, and that was where his true journey would start.
Someone like Fang Zheng, who could only still think of how he was ever eclipsed by his brother's shadow, and could only think so far as to how to impress Shen Cui, could not begin to imagine the vastness of his elder brother's ambition.
The two of them headed out, and even on the street, it was as if Fang Zheng was walking in Fang Yuan's shadow, the Luigi to his Mario.
"Hey- is that Fang Yuan?"
"The genius who makes poems?"
"Right, everyone says he's going to be hugely talented!"
"He has a bit of an arrogant expression doesn't he..."
"You'd have the same kind of expression if you could do what he could!"
"And who's that behind him?"
"Oh, that's Fang Yuan's younger brother."
Fang Zheng sighed.
'Will I only ever be acknowledged as his younger brother?'- he thought to himself.
Fang Yuan took no notice of these comments. No doubt they were all riled up for awakening ceremony, though these comments would soon change.
The crowd's opinion was as fickle as the seasons, and would do a complete one-eighty once the results of the awakening ceremony were made public.
Fang Yuan would crash and burn like Icarus, while Fang Zhen would soar above the clouds like a hawk who had just learned to fly.
Fang Yuan had only one thing on his mind- that was how to obtain his parent's inheritance. He had been unable to during his past life, though now, with the benefit of hindsight, he would be able to do so.
Without the help of those resources, he basically stood very little chance of reaching Rank Three in anything resembling a timely manner.
There was a massive crowd near the main pavilion- everyone who had turned fifteen had come here for the awakening ceremony.
The clan head was even here, along with many elders. No doubt they were interested in scouting out the new talent among this batch.
"If only we had someone who could match up to Bai clan's Bai Ning Bing. To think he is already an elder at age eighteen..."
"We haven't had an A-grade talent in three years..."
"Oh, but haven't you heard of Fang Yuan?"
"The boy famous for his poems?"
Most of Fang Yuan's 'poems' were of course, actually famous poems from Earth that he had passed off as his own, but his 'creation' of them had already cemented itself firmly in the minds of everyone in Gu Yue village.
After all, those who had precocious talents such as with poetry, or who had bene born with immense strength, usually grew up to be talented Gu Masters.
Of course, these achievements were thanks to his memories from Earth, and not a sign of heaven favoring Fang Yuan.
The youngsters were led into the pavilion and down below, near the clan's spirit spring.
The area here was dark, though the spirit spring cast an eerie azure glow over everyone. The kids were all quiet as the observed this place- as one of the clan's main strongholds, not anyone could just waltz in here whensoever they pleased. Security had to be top-notch as well, as many of the clan's enemies would've loved to poison, pollute, or otherwise damage the spirit spring. It would mean the collapse of the entire Gu Yue clan!
As such, it was their first time for them seeing such a place.
Every clan or major force needed a spirit spring to maintain themselves. They were naturally occurring phenomenon, which generated large numbers of primeval stones. Clans were built around them and protected them as well as distributed the stones generated by the spirit spring to their members.
Within the waters, there were many glowing lights as if the spring was filled with underwater fireflies.
These lights were budding Hope gu.