2 The Zhang Clan Head, Zhang Shi

"Ahem, Everyone, let's all return tomorrow for the awakening ceremony of the youth. Do not worry about the talents, our Zhang Clan has been blessed" Amidst the discussion and concerns of the elders of the Zhang Clan, the clan head Zhang Shi coughed to gather everyone's attention and ordered them all.

"No need to worry since our Zhang Clan have been blessed by our ancestors, Zhang Xi Huo and Zhang Xi Jun's son, Zhang Xi Yun have been blessed. He is able to talk at four months, can walk at five months, and run properly like an adult at the age of three years old."

"Not just that, he also recited many poems under his name. I have heard of his poem 'Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?', it has a deep meaning and I can't believe that a poem like that came from a 4-year-old child." The clan head reminded them of their unpolished gem that they needed to polish in order for them to restore the clan's honor.

The clan head did these in order to raise the morale of the elders in front of him, their previous younger generations are quite disappointing when it is compared to the other generations of their clan.

Hence when it came to the awakening ceremony, they can't help but not expect too much from it.

"That's right, the Xi family have indeed raised a very intelligent child. It's truly a pity that his parents are already dead."

"I've heard of his other poems too, they truly are spectacular. These poems will forever be remembered by those who have heard of it for sure."

"Even though his parents are already dead, at least his aunt and uncle are taking care of him very well. With his intelligence and excellence at a young age, his talent should be something that even Mo Xue, the number one genius of the Qin Mountains could not rival."

The elders, having heard of the name of Xi Yun smiled and discussed him eagerly. All of them carried a huge expectation to Xi Yun. With the brilliant mind that he showed at such a young age, it will not be an exaggeration to say that he is indeed blessed by the heavens.

When compared to other children, he is very different from the common youths. He thinks like an adult, giving them the impression that he is already matured in comparison to the children at his age.

They didn't think that something is strange from that since his mind only became more matured after his parents' death. In this world, it is very normal for children to mature very fast when events that will change their life happens.

"Xi Yun is already 15 years old this year, time truly flows fast. Now that he is already undergoing the awakening ceremony then it will only be a matter of time for our Zhang Clan's younger generation to be the number one again." The clan head said to everyone.

As the clan head, he has to be sharp on taking talents. He has to polish them in order for the clan to continue its prosperity and when it comes to talents Zhang Xi Yun is the most outstanding one among the younger generation.

With his brilliant mind and his natural talents then perhaps the Zhang Clan can suppress both the Mo and Qing Clan that have always been at odds against them.

In this world, those who have brilliant minds, or those children who possess extraordinary strength or other inborn talents are the ones that are truly talented when it came to cultivation.

"Ahem, everyone you should all rest well since tomorrow will be an important day for the Zhang Clan. For not we will only be welcoming the talents from our younger generation but we will also be welcoming the genius that will secure our Clan's position for a hundred, no thousand of years." The clan head coughed and ordered everyone again.

All of the elders who heard the orders of the clan head suddenly became wary of each other. The clan head ordered everyone to rest well not because they are tired of the ceremony and prayers that they have offered to their ancestors but because they will be fighting for the new talents to recruit in their factions.

Tomorrow will be a feast and the main dish is Zhang Xi Yun whose potential is sure to be heaven-defying, others are just side dishes unless they have the same potential as him.

All of them are sure of one thing though and it is that Zhang Xi Yun is going to show an orange grade talent, but saying that he only has the potential of an orange grade talent is almost an insult.

The possibility of him being an orange grade talent is very low and the possibility of him being a red grade talent is extremely high.

Everyone cultivates their spirit but if one wanted to cultivate their spirit they must have the qualifications to do so. Just because you want to do something doesn't mean you can do it after all.

The qualifications are whether they have talents or not, and these talents are divided into different grades.

The red grade is the highest level, followed by orange, yellow, blue, and green. When testing one's potential to cultivate, one will have to enter the awakening ceremony where the soul of a person will be stimulated to awaken forming a color around their body.

The difference in these talents is the one that will dictate what they would be in their whole life.

A cultivator who has a green grade potential can only reach Tier 1 cultivation at best, some of them will even be stuck at the early stage of Tier 1 their whole life. Nonetheless, they are still valuable since even among the masses, there are still those who have no talent at all and can only be a mortal their whole life.

These mortals are the playthings of the cultivators, they are their masters. If a cultivator wanted to kill a mortal, they can do so. As long as they don't do it excessively and within the reason.

Within the reason, meaning they can't kill senselessly just because they wanted to but if a mortal dared to stand up and ridicule a cultivator then their lives are already lost.

Their fates are already sealed the moment they became a mortal, either they became a plaything of those above them or die.

Those who have blue grade talent can reach Tier 2 peak stage at best, yellow can reach Tier 3 and even Tier 4 if they are lucky, orange can reach Tier 4 and its peak stage. As for the red grade, those who have talents like that can reach the Tier 5 of cultivation.

All the elders are about to leave but they can hear the voice of the clan head again, "I know that you all wanted to compete for Zhang Xi Yun but you must all compete fairly, no tricks and conspiracies are allowed!" He reminded everyone, his tone is gentle as if he is just saying this with no importance to the matter but everyone knew how serious he is right now.

He has to say this since, at times like this, a clan must show their unity especially now that they are declining due to the qualities of the younger generation in comparison to the other younger generation of the other clans in the Qin Mountains.

Any type of conspiracies that will damage the clan's unity is the same as doing self-harm.

"Don't worry clan head, we will keep it in mind!"

"We wouldn't dare to do that clan head!"

"We will make sure that we will do anything that will not bring harm to our clan"

"Right this is just a simple competition"

It is just a simple competition but in reality, it is a competition that will change the fate of a family from their clan. It is either through this that might determine their prosperity and position in the clan in the future hundred or even thousands of years.

Everyone gives importance to this since if they manage to recruit a talent then it will strengthen their foundation in the clan.

"Since all matters have already been voiced out, it is time for us to leave clan head," An elder said and he bowed and cupped his fist to the clan head who is donned in a ceremonial robe.

Seeing the action of the clan elder in front of him, Zhang Shi nodded to acknowledged it and soon enough all the other elders of the clan followed suit.

Zhang Shi looked at the empty hall in front of him and he looked at the window of the hall. This hall is the patriarch's hall where most matters that need the authority of the elders and the clan heads are being settled.

It is on the 4th floor of the clan's hall hence Zhang Shi can look clearly at the surroundings of the clan hall.

"It is raining heavily today and thunders are appearing way too often. Even the heavens are distraught of what will happen from now on." Zhang Shi said feeling an omen, he doesn't know if it is a good thing or a bad thing either.