The Awakening Ceremony (1/2)

Chi Yan continued standing at the village square as he pondered, feeling anxious.

At one point more teenagers were arriving at the place.

Eventually an elderly man came out from within the clan pavilion. Chi Yan assumed that elderly man to be the Gu Academy's elder; he made a very short speech and then started guiding the youths into the building behind him - the village's authority center.

Chi Yan, being in the front row along with the likes of Gu Yue Mo Bei and Gu Yue Fang Yuan, was one of the first to enter the clan pavilion. Inside, he walked behind the elder and followed a line downwards, walking down a sculpted stone stairs that lead to the clan's underground spirit spring.

The underground cave was magical and beautiful, stalactites sparkling with the colors of the rainbow.

In his first life, Chi Yan had visited similar salt mines or mineral caves on Earth, but he had to say that they couldn't hold a handle to the sight before his eyes.

Knowing well that he was now in a magical world of cultivation, Chi Yan couldn't help but feel amazed as he gazed around, feeling excitement and happiness in his heart.

After walking several hundred steps, Chi Yan could finally hear the sounds of flowing water and eventually saw an underground river, looking equally as magical as the cave.

The depth of the river was only around 50 cm, yet it was ten meters wide. The water of the river was crystal clear and there were all kinds of fish and aquatic plants living within it.

Just from his novel knowledge, Chi Yan knew that a spirit spring is a necessary foundation of every clan or sect, producing a large amount of primeval stones every year that sustained the clan's expenditure. It is also a place that nurtures many wild Hope Gu that are used in the awakening of a mortal human's Aperture.

Behind the river was a large field of blue-violet flowers glowing with ethereal light; these were the Gu Yue clan's unique Moon Orchids which are the food and refinement material for a lot of Moon type Gu of the Gu Yue clan.

'Spirit Springs are natural tools created by the Heavenly Dao. Each Primeval Stone produced in nature contains minor amounts of Heaven's Will which is able to influence the residents of the Gu world. Few people in this world know about Heaven's Will and even fewer know about this closely guarded secret; at this time even Fang Yuan doesn't know about it yet.' Chi Yan's thought got slightly side-tracked as he observed the flowing spirit spring which was extending into the depths of the mountain.

Heaven's Will is only supposed to be a type of Will, a Will of Heavens, being similar to artificial intelligence. It shouldn't be omnipotent or omniscient, so Chi Yan couldn't help but wonder - just what it might know about him and what its attitude toward him is? His body might be created in the Gu world, but he never even used a primeval stone before. In that case - can the Heaven's Will in the atmosphere invade his mind and read his memories and his thoughts. Or is it too much?

He was just a mortal. Does Heaven's Will already know that Chi Yan knows the future and many secrets of the world in intricate detail?

Just what would happen if Chi Yan starts making changes?

Chi Yan felt worried, but he also had an optimistic attitude toward it - if he wasn't allowed to make any changes, then what was the point of summoning him, an Otherworldly Demon, and allowing him to live in this world in the first place?

Chi Yan felt that it's very likely that he wasn't here during Fang Yuan's life and came here now.

No matter what his purpose was, he felt that he would eventually have to take a risk of changing the future and see the end result. If he knew the future, yet didn't try to benefit from it, then that would be simply too sad.

"Alright, listen as I call your names. Those who are called must walk through this river to the opposite bank. Walk as far as you can, of course the further you go the better it is. Are you all clear?" The Academy elder called out, snapping Chi Yan out his musings.

"Gu Yue Chen Bo," the elder said.

'Gu Yue Chen Bo. Three steps. No aptitude to be a Gu Master,' Chi Yan thought in his heart, recalling the novel.

Gu Yue Chen Bo took a few steps into the river and then stopped as if he encountered an invisible wall blocking him.

Upon seeing it, the Academy elder sighed, recording what happened. He said, "Gu Yue Chen Bo, 3 steps, no talent to become a Gu Master. Next, Gu Yue Zao Xie!"

'Gu Yue Zao Xie. 4 steps. No aptitude either,' Chi Yan recalled.

As expected, Gu Yue Zao Xie only took 4 steps, he did not have aptitude either.

At this moment, whether it was Gu Yue Chen Bo or Gu Yue Zao Xie, their facial expressions were incredibly ugly, their status shaky. Without an aptitude to be a Gu Master they would only be able to be servants of the Gu Masters, holding the lowest positions in the clan and doing lowly jobs for the rest of their lives.

This was how this world operated. However, these people's situation was still better than that of mortals without the Gu Yue bloodline that lived in the mortal hamlets outside.

In this world, mortals who are not a part of a clan are nothing but slaves for the Gu Masters; they can be slaughtered, robbed, tortured or raped on a whim of a Gu Master, and no one would seek justice for them. Even if they could have an aptitude to cultivate, the majority of clans would not allow outsiders into their spirit spring to help them awaken their apertures, keeping all the power to themselves.

Although Chi Yan had a high chance of dying in a few years due to his Extreme Aptitude as his cultivation increases, he still felt incredibly lucky and glad to transmigrate as someone able to cultivate, someone with extraordinary aptitude. With his novel knowledge it might not be impossible for him to find a way to survive and turn the tide, turning his Extreme Physique into an incredible lucky chance.

'Without an aperture, though, I would be quite hopeless just like these two,' Chi Yan silently thought, observing Gu Yue Zao Xie's depressed expression.

At that moment the elder called out another name with enthusiasm, "Next, Gu Yue Mo Bei!"

"Here!" Gu Yue Mo Bei walked out of the crowd with firm steps. He was tall in build and definitely more developed than the other teens.

Looking at Gu Yue Mo Bei, Chi Yan felt relieved in his heart that he wasn't transmigrated as him as it happens in many fanfictions.

In comparison to the manhua where Mo Bei was portrayed as being decently handsome, having a square and masculine jawline, this world's Gu Yue Mo Bei resembled the one described in the novel more - he had a chinese facial appearance with a stretched-out lower face, an oblong face; precisely similar to that of a horse.

At this time as Gu Yue Mo Bei walked toward the river, he looked Chi Yan defiantly in the eye, wearing a determined and stubborn expression.

Upon seeing that, Chi Yan couldn't help but mildly smile in amusement; he never put someone like Mo Bei in his eyes, not with his extreme aptitude and other advantages.

'Gu Yue Mo Bei. He took 36 steps in the novel, having 66% primeval sea. B-grade aptitude,' Chi Yan recalled perfectly.

Chi Yan had read Reverend Insanity a lot and now after transmigrating his memory was exceptionally excellent, thus he could recall various information in great detail. He read the first volume of the novel the most in particular, so it was a piece of cake to recall these things.

Mo Bei had already crossed the river and began walking across the flower field on the opposite die. 10 steps, 20 steps, 30 steps; one after another small lights entered his body. He walked until he reached 36 steps before he could finally go no further.

The youths at the riverbank watched with wide opened eyes, shocked. The academy elder happily exclaimed, "Good, Gu Yue Mo Bei, B-grade talent! Come here, let me see your Primeval sea."

Chi Yan mildly smiled upon seeing the result, thinking, 'That's good. The more similar this world is to the novel, the greater my advantage. I hope that not much is different and I definitely hope that Fang Yuan's aptitude is not A-grade.'

Gu Yue Mo Bei walked back to the academy elder's side. The latter stretched out his hand and put it on the juvenile's shoulder, closing his eyes as he checked with focus. Then he retracted his hand and nodded, recording down the result on the paper.

The elders watching in the darkness sighed in relief after seeing Mo Bei's result, then they all turned to look at one of the elders amongst them with jealousy.

This elder was also horse-faced, known as Gu Yue Mo Bei's grandfather, Gu Yue Mo Chen, his face already smiling. He provokingly looked at his old nemesis and said, "What do you think? My grandson isn't that bad huh, Gu Yue Chi Lian."

Gu Yue Chi Lian looked at Mo Chen without fear, snorting, "Hah, Gu Yue Mo Chen, no matter what, how can your grandson match my Chi Yan? Stop dreaming."

Gu Yue Mo Chen snorted back. He was getting tired of hearing Chi Lian's gloating about his talented grandson. He turned away, not replying to the other. His horse face did not show it, but Gu Yue Mo Chen felt quite anxious inwardly.

Experience has shown that those with early intelligence, exceptional memory, high agility, strength, beautiful appearance or other outstanding traits, nearly all have great cultivation talent.

Not to mention all the bragging about his grandson that Chi Lian had done in the past, just with Gu Yue Chi Yan's dazzling appearance he could be suspected to have an equally outstanding aptitude. It was not the rule, but the chances were high.

One hour later, half of the youths had already walked through the flower sea. There were quite a number of C and D grade talents among them, while half of those youths had no talent at all.

Finally, the academy elder shouted, "Gu Yue Chi Yan!"

Upon hearing it, Chi Yan smiled and walked out of the crowd.

Chi Yan wore an exquisite red robe with a silk belt wrapped around his waist, looking like a great hero from a painting. He had a slightly above average height; his body slim and athletic with a thin waist and broad shoulders.

His face was undoubtedly very handsome and his jaw well-pronounced; his skin was smooth and without any imperfections. His hair was crimson red and lush, looking as if it was on fire, his mane reaching down to his shoulder blades while thick bangs adorned his forehead.

Below his red bangs was a pair of deep blue eyes that seemed to shine like lightning. If one were to look closer, one would see detailed white lines running across his blue irises.

Because of such dazzling appearance, the multitude of the young girls present stared in amazement upon seeing Chi Yan step out of the crowd.

Having a focused expression on his face, Chi Yan ignored all the stares thrown at him by over a hundred youths and walked across the river; or more like he calculated in his head - from around fifty girls and Fang Yuan, because his heart didn't really care about the others.

After eventually crossing the river, Chi Yan's attention was on a Gu worm inside his aperture.

'The mixture on my skin would attract Hope Gu around me, but I still need to use a Gu to pull them into my Aperture and make a convincing display… Let's do it,' Chi Yan thought to himself as he activated the Gu worm.

At this moment Chi Yan was slightly nervous. If he screwed up here, then it would be really damn bad. Forget getting punished by the clan for trying to fake his aptitude; when his extreme physique is revealed, Gu Yue Bo would instantly bring him to the Blood Pond Graveyard and his life might be forfeit on the first day of his transmigration!

10 steps, 20 steps, 30 steps…

Chi Yan walked through the flower sea, while carefully counting in his heart and controlled the special Gu at the same time.

Whether it was the youths at the shore, the clan elders hidden in the darkness or the clan head himself, they all watched Chi Yan with anticipation.

When Chi Yan walked 40 steps in total, he suddenly paused his steps.

Seeing Chi Yan stand in place for a while, the elders eventually started commenting.

"40 steps! So Chi Yan walked 4 steps in the end…" an elder said.

"40 steps, that's excellent, hmm. But a bit lacking for an A-grade," someone else said.

Gu Yue Mo Chen snorted, looking at his political rival Gu Yue Chi Lian, he said, "40 steps, not bad, but wasn't your grandson supposed to be a great A-grade prodigy?"

Gu Yue Mo Chen couldn't help but rub Chi Yan's result into Gu Yue Chi Lian's face after all of the gloating he did.

"Hmph. So what if Chi Yan walked 40 steps. His talent is not something that your brat can compete with," Gu Yue Chi Lian retorted sharply, sending Mo Chen a cold look.

Hearing Chi Lian's rebuttal, Gu Yue Mo Chen's expression turned somewhat dull. Indeed, with 40 steps taken Chi Yan might even be able to step into Rank 4 in the future; at that point the Mo faction would be completely suppressed.

Gu Yue Bo stood at the side, not interfering in the conversation. His expression was more somber, but he still appeared quite disappointed. He sighed, muttering, "Fortunately there is still Gu Yue Fang Yuan…"

(note, could merge these 2 Ceremony chapters...)