Verification

Cultivation wasn't something that could be started from infancy. If the body was too weak, and if the Vital Core wasn't matured enough, absorbing the Life Energy of the world would be a detriment, not a benefit.

An influential family could use rare natural treasures to expedite the development of their youths' internals, but methods as heaven-defying as this couldn't be performed by most clans- including the Ye Family of Jade-Earth City.

As such, the children of this clan would have to wait until they were in their adolescence for their Vital Cores to glow a faint green light, signifying their ability to safely cultivate. This would often occur from the ages of thirteen to fifteen, and at worst, eighteen.

Ye Xian was only fourteen, and he, like most his age, was expectantly waiting for the day his Vital Core would glow with the splendor of Spring's advent.

But now, there was no need to wait any longer. Now, not only did his Vital Core emit a green glow, its radiance was incomparable to those of newly-awakened Cores. But this couldn't make Ye Xian excited- especially considering the burden that had just been placed on his shoulders.

He immediately drew upon a technique from the <Mortal-Celestial Immortal Law>, causing the radiance of his Vital Core to dim slightly. He didn't wish to hide his abilities- that would be a detriment. Demonstrating talent only had benefits, but showing too much talent would simply be a calamity. The competition between the clans and forces of Jade-Earth was highly intense, and it was common for the tallest trees to be chopped down early.

'Let's go see Mom and Dad,' Ye Xian thought with a passionate smile. 'They'll definitely be excited.'

With that in mind, Ye Xian quickly opened the door of his room and yelled vigorously enough to scare the birds into flocking away. "Mom! Dad! My Vital Core matured!"

Two shadows blurred toward Ye Xian and stopped right in front of him, revealing a slender figure with shoulder-length blue hair and a burly figure with light black hair that fell to his midsection.

"Xian'er, let me see!" the burly figure held Ye Xian's right palm with his, sending an innocuous pulse of Divine Will throughout his body. When he processed the information obtained by his Divine Will, he quickly exclaimed, "How bright! Ah'yin, see for yourself."

Ye Yin's curiosity was ignited by her husband's shock, and she too sent her Divine Will through Ye Xian's body. And just like Ye Guo, she too was shocked, but it was quickly replaced by excitement.

"Let's go to the elders now! Little Xian, you never seemed like a genius to me. It's a miracle!"

Ye Xian couldn't resist his mother's pull as they shot out of the door and rushed to the clan's Immortal Registrar. Despite the wave of dizziness he was experiencing, he thanked the heavens that his mother was so swift. Otherwise, the passing clansmen and servants would definitely catch tears dripping from his eyes...

'Only Mom can put me down like this without feeling any remorse whatsoever,' he thought as he smiled wryly. But when the Cultivator Division came into sight, he quickly steeled himself, recognizing that it wasn't the time for tears.

Ye Yin came to a halt as the two reached the entrance to the clan's Cultivator Division, where they met an old guard that stood by its gates. Clearly, he was simply there to prevent the children from wandering where they shouldn't.

"Yin, it's nice to see you. Oh, did Little Xian reach maturity?" the guard commented casually.

"Ye Yin greets Uncle Shan. And yes, Xian's CORE reached maturity," Ye Yin replied happily, seemingly oblivious to her son, who stared at her confusedly.

'Was there really a need to make that distinction? Am I not mature as well?'

Ye Xian no longer having the heart to be around his mother, quickly interjected.

"Granduncle, check for yourself. I'm now qualified to enter the Cultivator's Division, right?"

Ye Shan was more than willing to talk to a rare visitor, but he couldn't ignore the beaming youth who was racing to open the doors to his path of cultivation. He smiled.

"Little Xian, I remember having that exact same expression on my face when I stood in front of these doors for the first time. Come, hold your palm up for me."

"How many more times will I have to do this?"

"Hah! The feeling is incomparably eerie, I remember that too. Don't worry, it shouldn't happen too much after you enter these gates," he replied in nostalgia as he sent his Divine Will through Ye Xian's body. His eyebrows raised, but, considering how many children he's examined thus far, he wasn't that surprised. "Not bad. The others definitely have to see this for themselves."

"..."

"I'm only kidding, of course! Here," Ye Shan laughed, pulling a grey robe and bronze token from his Microcosm Pouch. Ye Xian respectfully received them and unfurled the grey robe to put on his body.

'This is too comfortable,' he marveled. 'Even in this heat, I feel like I'm being doused in cool water.'

"The temperature regulation rune is only one of the robe's functions," Ye Shan commented knowingly. "I'm going to open the door. I hope you won't disappoint me, Little Xian."

"I definitely won't, Uncle Shan."

Hearing this, Ye Shan smiled in satisfaction. After pausing for a moment, he drew a rune in the air and sent it hovering toward the gates.

...

After but a moment, the gates which seemed to weigh down like mountains were split open by an unknown force, revealing an entirely new world to the star-struck Ye Xian.

"Mom!" he shouted excitedly, his deep black eyes still trained on the world that existed on the other side of the gates. "Let's go!"