Chapter Four: Gu Yue Fang Yuan!

The morning sun rose, casting brilliant rays of light.

The mountain mist was not very thick, easily pierced by the sword-like sunlight.

Over a hundred fifteen-year-old youths gathered in front of the Clan Leader's Pavilion.

The Pavilion stood at the very center of the village, towering five stories high with upturned eaves, heavily guarded. In front of the Pavilion was a plaza, and inside the Pavilion, the ancestral tablets of the Gu Yue family were enshrined. Each generation's clan leader lived here, and it was the place for major ceremonies and urgent meetings. It was the power center of the entire village.

"Very good, everyone is here on time. Today is the Awakening Ceremony, a significant turning point in your lives. No need for idle talk, follow me." The elder in charge, the academy elder, led the youths into the Pavilion.

However, they did not go upstairs but descended through the entrance hall to an underground cave.

The youths gasped in awe. The underground cave was magnificent, with stalactites emitting seven-colored light, illuminating their faces with a rainbow-like brilliance.

Fang Yuan, amidst the crowd, quietly observed everything, contemplating, "Hundreds of years ago, the Gu Yue family migrated from the central plains to the southern border and settled in Qing Mao Mountain. They chose this place for its underground spiritual spring. This spring produces a large amount of primeval stones, the foundation of the Gu Yue village."

After walking several hundred steps, it grew darker, and they could faintly hear the sound of water.

Turning a corner, they were greeted by a wide underground river.

The colorful glow of the stalactites had completely vanished.

However, in the darkness, the river water emitted a faint blue glow, resembling a starry river in the night sky.

The water flowed from the depths of the cave, crystal clear, revealing swimming fish, aquatic plants, and riverbed sand and stones.

On the other side of the river was a sea of flowers.

These were Gu Yue family's deliberately cultivated Moon Orchids. Their petals, shaped like crescent moons, were a delicate blue-pink. The flower stems were jade-like, and the hearts glowed softly, resembling pearls under light.

In the darkness, the flower sea looked like a vast blue-green carpet dotted with countless pearls.

"Moon Orchids are the food of many Gu insects. This flower sea is the family's largest cultivation base." Fang Yuan knew this well.

"So beautiful."

"Truly splendid."

The youths were wide-eyed, both excited and nervous.

"Alright, listen to me now. When I call your name, cross the river to the other side. Go as far as you can; the further, the better. Did you all understand?" The elder said.

"Yes," the youths responded in unison. They had heard from their families or elders that the further they walked, the better their talent, and the greater their future achievements.

"Gu Yue Chen Bo," the elder called the first name from the list.

Though the river was wide, it was not deep, only reaching the youths' knees. Chen Bo, with a serious expression, stepped into the flower sea on the riverbank.

Immediately, he felt an invisible pressure, as if an unseen wall was blocking his way.

Struggling to advance, a cluster of light points suddenly rose from the flower sea at his feet, faint and white.

The light gathered around Chen Bo and entered his body.

Instantly, he felt the pressure lessen. The invisible wall softened.

He gritted his teeth and pushed forward, managing three steps before the pressure surged again, as strong as before, preventing further movement.

Seeing this, the elder sighed, recording, "Gu Yue Chen Bo, three steps, no Gu Master talent. Next, Gu Yue Zao Xie."

Chen Bo's face turned pale as he bit his lip, crossing the river back to the start. Without talent, he would remain an ordinary person, at the lowest tier in the family.

He staggered, devastated, as if his hopes were crushed.

Many cast sympathetic glances at him, while more eyes focused on the next youth stepping onto the shore.

Unfortunately, this youth only managed four steps, also without talent.

Not everyone has the talent for cultivation. Generally, if five out of ten could cultivate, it was good. In the Gu Yue family, this ratio was higher, reaching six out of ten.

This was because the first clan leader, a legendary strong practitioner, had passed down a powerful bloodline. As his descendants, the Gu Yue people generally had higher talent.

Two consecutive cases of no talent made the other observing elders frown, even the composed clan leader showing a slight frown.

At this moment, the academy elder called the third name, "Gu Yue Mo Bei."

"Here!" A tall, broad-shouldered youth with a horse face stepped forward.

He was much sturdier than his peers, exuding a hint of ruggedness.

With a few strides, he crossed the river and stepped onto the opposite shore.

Ten steps, twenty steps, thirty steps, with light points continuously entering his body.

He finally stopped at thirty-six steps.

The youths on the other side were dumbfounded, and the academy elder exclaimed in joy, "Excellent, Gu Yue Mo Bei, B-grade talent. Come here, let me check your primeval sea."

Gu Yue Mo Bei returned to the elder's side, who placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, closing his eyes to sense. After a moment, he nodded, recording, "Gu Yue Mo Bei, sixty-six percent primeval sea, worthy of intensive cultivation."

Talent was graded from A to D.

A D-grade youth could be nurtured into a first-rank Gu Master in three years, becoming a family cornerstone.

A C-grade youth could become a second-rank Gu Master in two years, becoming a family pillar.

A B-grade youth needed careful nurturing, often becoming future elders, reaching the third rank in six to seven years.

An A-grade youth, if one appeared, was a blessing for the whole family. They would receive meticulous care and resources, becoming a fourth-rank Gu Master in ten years, potentially competing for clan leadership!

Gu Yue Mo Bei, once grown, would become a future elder. No wonder the academy elder laughed heartily, and the observing elders all sighed in relief, casting envious glances at one elder.

This elder, also with a horse face, was Gu Yue Mo Bei's grandfather, Gu Yue Mo Chen. His face beamed with pride as he provocatively glanced at his old rival, "What do you think of my grandson, Gu Yue Chi Lian?"

Elder Gu Yue Chi Lian, with red hair, snorted coldly without a word, his face darkening.

Half an hour later, half of the youths had crossed the flower sea, revealing several C and D grades, though almost half had no talent.

"Sigh, the bloodline is thinning. In recent years, the family hasn't produced many fourth-rank practitioners to strengthen the bloodline. The fourth-generation clan leader, the only fifth-rank practitioner, perished with the Flower Wine Walker, leaving no descendants. The younger generation's talent is weakening." The clan leader sighed deeply.

At this moment, the academy elder called, "Gu Yue Chi Cheng."

Hearing this name, the elders looked at Gu Yue Chi Lian; this was his grandson.

Gu Yue Chi Cheng, short and pockmarked, clenched his fists, sweating nervously.

He stepped onto the opposite shore, light points entering his body, walking to thirty-six steps before stopping.

"Another B-grade!" the academy elder shouted.

The youths murmured in excitement, casting envious glances at Gu Yue Chi Cheng.

"Hahaha, thirty-six steps, thirty-six steps!" Gu Yue Chi Lian laughed, glaring at Gu Yue Mo Chen provocatively.

This time, Gu Yue Mo Chen's face turned ashen.

"Gu Yue Chi Cheng..." In the crowd, Fang Yuan rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

In his memory, he was severely punished for cheating in the Awakening Ceremony.

In fact, his talent was C-grade, but his grandfather Gu Yue Chi Lian faked it, making it appear B-grade.

Fang Yuan had dozens of ways to cheat, some even more flawless. Displaying B or A-grade talent would earn the family's favor and resources.

But first, his rebirth was too recent, leaving him unprepared.

Second, even if he succeeded in cheating, his cultivation speed would eventually expose him.

Gu Yue Chi Cheng was different. His grandfather, Gu Yue Chi Lian, one of the most powerful elders, could cover for him.

"Gu Yue Chi Lian and Gu Yue Mo Chen have always been rivals, leading the two largest factions in the family. To suppress his rival, Chi Lian needs his grandson to excel. With his protection, Chi Cheng could hide for a while. If not for an accident, his fraud wouldn't have been exposed."

Fang Yuan's eyes glinted as he pondered how to exploit this for maximum benefit.

Exposing the fraud now would earn some family reward but offend the powerful Gu Yue Chi Lian, inadvisable.

Extortion was also risky, given his current low strength, inviting disaster.

As he pondered, he suddenly heard the academy elder call his name, "Gu Yue Fang Yuan!"