After prayer, the air was thick with anticipation as the participants, including Orion and Elara, sat on the cold stone ground of the arena. Their legs crossed, eyes closed, following Lady Selina's instructions. The bustling arena had fallen into a tense silence, the weight of the ceremony pressing upon everyone's shoulders.
Lady Selina's voice rose again, her melodious yet authoritative tone echoing throughout the arena. "As many of you already know, the Will of Eldora allows you to harness the magical energy that flows through the world — Mana. To cultivate and grow stronger, to rise above your limits and seize your destiny."
Her piercing violet eyes swept across the seated youths, her expression calm and composed. "But receiving the blessing is not so simple. The Will of Eldora grants three types of blessings: Bronze, Silver, and Gold."
A murmur rippled through the crowd, but Lady Selina's voice held them firmly in place.
"The Bronze Blessing," she began, her voice deep and smooth. "When received, your body will glow brown. Those who receive this blessing can harness mana, but their cultivation speed is painfully slow. A harsh path, but still a path nonetheless."
"The Silver Blessing," she continued, "When bestowed upon you, your body will glow white. Cultivation speed is average, but still far better than Bronze. Those who receive it can grow steadily with diligence."
Lady Selina's eyes glimmered with excitement as she reached the final, most desired blessing. "The Gold Blessing. When attained, your body will glow gold. Your cultivation speed will be exceptional, your potential unrivalled among most. Those who receive this blessing are often the most promising cultivators of their generation."
Cheers and murmurs rose from the crowd, their excitement building with every word. But Lady Selina was not finished.
"Now," she said, her voice lowering, drawing everyone's attention like moths to a flame. "You may have heard the legendary tale of the Platinum Blessing. A blessing so rare that it has become nothing more than a myth to many. Those who receive the Platinum Blessing will have their bodies glow a radiant purple. The Will of Eldora shall grant them unparalleled cultivation speed, the ability to harness mana at unimaginable efficiency, and a learning speed far beyond mortal comprehension."
Gasps erupted throughout the arena. Wide-eyed participants whispered in awe, and the onlookers in the stands could barely contain their excitement.
Lady Selina's smile was calm, yet something sharp lay behind her serene gaze. "There has only ever been one person in the last thousand years to receive the Platinum Blessing... our revered Empress Shia Eldora."
Shock. Wonder. Disbelief. All of these emotions swirled in the eyes of the crowd. How could such a tale be true? To be blessed like a goddess herself? The mere idea was intoxicating to many.
Orion, however, remained unaffected. His face held its usual calmness, his blue eyes betraying nothing of his inner thoughts.
Platinum Blessing... Is that really so legendary now? he mused, his lips twitching in mild amusement. In my past life, it was rare, yes, but not something considered divine. After all, both I and Shia possessed the Platinum Blessing. It seems that a thousand years of glorification has turned truth into myth.
His thoughts drifted briefly to Shia, his betrayer. The so-called goddess revered by these ignorant fools. His fists clenched but quickly relaxed. He had more pressing matters to focus on.
Time dragged on as the participants remained in their meditative poses, each striving to establish a connection with the Will of Eldora. Minutes turned into hours. Beads of sweat trickled down foreheads, some brows furrowed in frustration, others in determination.
Finally, the first participant stirred. A faint, brown glow enveloped his body, flickering like a feeble ember. His eyes snapped open, his expression filled with relief and triumph.
"Bronze Blessing!" Lady Selina announced calmly, her eyes impassive. "Step to the side."
The boy stumbled to his feet, his legs shaking but his smile wide. He was just the first. Soon, others began awakening to their blessings.
One by one, youths shone with the brownish hue of Bronze Blessings. There was excitement for many, but disappointment for some. Still, it was better than nothing.
The audience whispered among themselves, evaluating those who received their blessings.
"Another Bronze… Looks like the standard for this city's talents is as low as ever."
"But at least they have potential. Even a Bronze Blessing allows them to cultivate mana."
"I heard the neighbouring city produced five Silver Blessings and one gold last year!"
Lady Selina's voice continued announcing the results, her eyes occasionally showing faint interest when a white glow would appear.
"Silver Blessing!" she declared.
A boy leaped to his feet, shouting his triumph to the heavens before quickly hurrying to the Silver Blessing section of the arena.
More blessings continued to manifest. The Bronze Blessings formed the largest group, while the Silver Blessings were notably fewer.
But still, not a single Golden Blessing had appeared.
Elara's slender figure remained seated, her body still and calm. Orion glanced at her from the corner of his eye. His little sister's determination was evident in her tightly closed eyes and steady breathing.
"Come on, Elara," Orion whispered to himself. "You can do it."
Moments later, Elara's body suddenly trembled. The air around her grew heavier, charged with a palpable energy. Then—
A dazzling golden light erupted from her body, pure and radiant, bathing her surroundings in a magnificent glow.
The audience gasped, and even Lady Selina's composed expression broke into visible surprise.
"Golden Blessing!" Lady Selina's voice held a rare note of excitement. "Incredible! We have a Golden Blessing!"
Cheers erupted from the crowd.
"Amazing! That's the Lord Viscount's daughter!"
"As expected of Lady Elara!"
"Truly worthy of her status! Such a rare talent!"
Orion watched his sister stand, her beautiful face flushed with excitement and joy as she looked in his direction with sparkling eyes. "Brother! I did it! I really did it!"
Orion chuckled softly, his gaze gentle. "Well done, Elara. I knew you could do it."
As Elara walked over to join the Golden Blessing section, two more youths also received the Golden Blessing. But even their golden glow was dimmer compared to Elara's radiance.
The ceremony continued. Those who had received blessings gathered on one side of the arena according to their rankings—Bronze, Silver, and Gold.
Orion, however, remained seated, his eyes still closed. His expression remained calm, his breathing steady. Even as murmurs rose from the crowd.
"Is he really trying again?"
"It's his third attempt. If he fails again, the shame will be unbearable."
"Hmph, just another failure. Not everyone's born with talent."
"How embarrassing… His own sister got the Golden Blessing and he got nothing?"
The audience's voices were filled with disdain and mockery. Even some of the participants who had already received their blessings looked at Orion with pity or contempt.
Lady Selina's gaze rested on him; her brows furrowed slightly. "Still nothing... Could it be that he truly has no talent?"
Orion ignored the whispers, his consciousness diving deep into the silent void within. He reached out, his senses expanding to the very essence of Eldora itself. And then, he felt it—a pulse, warm and inviting.
The ground trembled. A collective gasp swept through the arena as a brilliant golden light exploded from Orion's body, bathing the surroundings in a blinding glow. Its radiance was beyond anything the crowd had seen before, far surpassing Elara's own impressive awakening.
Lady Selina's eyes widened in shock. Her voice trembled with disbelief, "This... this brilliance... I have never seen such pure golden light before."
The audience erupted into frenzied excitement. Cheers and gasps filled the air.
"Incredible! Such brightness!"
"He's actually... It's unbelievable!"
"The most powerful golden blessing I've ever witnessed!"
Up in the VIP balcony, Celia's hands clasped over her mouth, tears brimming in her eyes. "My son... He's done it! He's finally done it!" she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.
Sera's smile stretched wide, pride radiating from her. "That's our Orion," she murmured, her violet eyes shimmering with joy.
Butler Walton bowed his head respectfully. "Congratulations, my ladies. Young Master Orion has achieved something extraordinary."
Celia and Sera nodded in gratitude, but Lord Theo's face remained cold and indifferent, his gaze focused solely on the arena below. If he was impressed by his son's feat, he made no effort to show it and no one noticed.
Elara's excitement was boundless. She grinned at Orion, her eyes practically glowing. "You did it, Brother Orion! You actually did it!"
But within the dazzling golden light enveloping Orion's body, there was something more—something hidden from everyone's eyes. Beneath the radiant gold, a faint but undeniable hue of deep purple glowed softly around his body.
Platinum Blessing.
Orion's lips curled into a subtle smile, his eyes opening slowly as the light around him faded. No one else seemed to notice the brief flicker of purple—except him.
The ceremony concluded with Lady Selina's booming voice. "The Blessing Ceremony has reached its end! Those who have successfully awakened, your rewards will be distributed tomorrow at this very arena. Congratulations to all of you!"
Her words sparked another wave of applause and cheers from the crowd, even as those who failed slumped away, cursing their ill fortune. Orion remained calm, his expression unreadable as he rejoined his sister and they walked toward the exit.
The golden blessing. That was what they saw. And that was what they would believe.
"Today's ceremony has concluded. May the blessed ones walk the path of cultivation with pride and diligence!"
The spectators began to leave, their conversations buzzing with excitement and disbelief. As the Vale family departed the VIP room, Elara couldn't stop smiling as she clung to Orion's arm.
"I can't believe it, Brother! We both succeeded!"
"Yes, we did," Orion replied with a small smile.
Celia and Sera's gazes never left him, pride etched into their beautiful faces.
The family left the arena amidst murmurs of admiration and envy from the crowd. But Orion was hardly paying attention to them. His mind was focused on the future.
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Somewhere in Eldora...
In a luxurious, dark room, a beautiful figure sat cross-legged, eyes closed. Her long, delicate fingers rested on her lap, her chest rising and falling with rhythmic breaths.
Suddenly, the ring on her finger trembled. Her body shuddered, and a single tear slid down her flawless cheek. "Finally... finally you come again after very long time." Her voice, though soft, rang with longing and despair, echoing hauntingly in the empty room.
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Elsewhere, deep within a dark cave.
A stunning woman sat before a massive, blood-drenched casket. Blood poured from above, magically flowing and coating the casket's surface.
Suddenly, her crimson eyes snapped open, and a serene smile graced her lips.
"Finally, after 999 years, you have come, my dear." Her voice was a melody of love, care, and longing.
The smile on her face remained, her gaze filled with unending devotion.