Awakening ceremony

Elias sat alone in his room. He was now seven years old. Two years had passed in a flash.

Looking outside the window, he could see the sun rising above the horizon. Its light cast long shadows across the courtyard, illuminating the trees and shrubs that lined the walls. The morning air was cool and crisp, and the sky was clear and blue.

Elias wore a simple yet elegant outfit—a deep navy-blue robe with silver embroidery along the collar and sleeves, paired with dark trousers. His hair was neatly combed back, and his skin was pale and flawless.

He usually didn't care about his appearance, but today was a special day. Today is his awakening ceremony.

At the age of six or seven, every clan child undergoes an awakening ceremony that would happen once every 2 years, during which they receive their cloud pin and white robe, a sign that they are now officially part of the clan and can cultivate.

"Elias, stop looking out the window and come eat breakfast! It's a very important day today! We can't be late." a voice called out.

Elias turned to see his mother standing in the doorway, her hands on her hips. She wore a white dress with a high collar and long sleeves, and her hair was tied back in a simple ponytail.

"Coming, Mother," Elias replied as he stood up from the bed.

Elias walked over to the dining room and soon saw Liandor and Ray already eating. Liandor wore a white robe with a blue cloud pattern, while Ray was dressed in a plain white robe.

"Good morning, everyone." Elias greeted as he took his seat.

Liandor looked up with a surprising warmth and said, "Good morning, grandson. Did you sleep well?"

Elias studied him thoughtfully. Over the past two years, he noticed that Liandor had way more wrinkles and always seemed tired. He would even rarely be home and was always busy with something. However, since getting rid of Raymond, Elias hasn't pressured Liandor, which is a good thing.

Talking about Raymond, Elias hadn't actually seen him, nor did he have any whereabouts about him. In two years, nobody really seemed interested in his whereabouts since only a handful of people asked Elias about him.

Taking a deep breath, he replied, "Yes, grandfather. I slept well." smiling sweetly.

"That's good. Today is a very important day. You will finally join the clan and become a full member. I am so sad I won't be able to attend such an important day. I am sorry." He turned his attention to Ray, who had a gloomy expression.

As if remembering a practiced script, Ray smiled, "Congratulations...son. I'm sure you will do great. I am sorry I won't be able to go either." Despite his best efforts, his voice still had some lingering bitterness. Even after two years, Ray still hadn't forgotten the training incident, and Elias had to admit Ray was quite persistent.

The atmosphere was tense until Yui clapped her hands and chirped, "Alright, let's eat!"

The rest of the meal passed in silence.

Once they were ready to go, Liandor and Ray used an excuse to leave, leaving only Yui and Elias. It was obvious they did not want to attend.

Liandor probably didn't want to be humiliated once Elias was revealed to have a low talent because of his little spiked candies. Yet surprisingly, he did not seem to even care about it anymore. Instead, he always seem to be lost in his thoughts.

As for Ray, he likely didn't want to attend the ceremony at all. When his father gave him the option to skip it, he must have felt a wave of relief.

Yui and Elias left the mansion and walked silently toward the town square. Both seemed lost in their own thoughts. As they approached, they noticed a growing crowd. Most people were dressed in white robes, accompanied by their children, while ordinary folks and merchants also gathered.

The crowd eventually filled the town square, where the awakening ceremony was about to take place. Wooden benches lined the square, and the ground was covered with a layer of white sand for the ceremony. At the center was a raised platform with a large stone table.

Elias focused on the stage set up in the middle of the square. Two people stood on the stage—a child and an old man. Beside them was an oversized silver chair, and next to the chair was a small table with numerous star-shaped stones, white robes, pins, and a plain white mask.

Elias noticed the mask and recalled, "They say it's called the 'mask of hope.' It changes color based on the user's talent. If I had to guess, It's probably made from rank 4 Five Changing Color Wood, known for its strange properties and connection to the light law."

The old man on stage wore a long white robe and had silver hair that framed his kind and gentle face. His eyes sparkled with wisdom and warmth. "Welcome, everyone, to the awakening ceremony," he announced, his voice carrying across the square. "Today, we will awaken the talents of our young ones. Let's hope for a bright future ahead."

He continued, "This year is special as we have the clan's patriarch's son, Zhelowen, joining us for the ceremony. We are honored to have him here."

The crowd erupted in cheers and applause. Many people looked at Zhelowen with admiration and respect. Zhelowen, who was the same age as Elias, had gray hair, a sharp jawline, and a stern, distant expression. He was tall and carried an aloof demeanor.

Elias glanced at him briefly before turning his attention back to the mask. He remembered how Zhelowen's birthday had been used to justify giving slaves ranked meat. While it seemed like a generous gesture, it was really just a way for the clan to maintain control over them.

The old man continued, "Now, let's begin. According to our tradition, I will call each child individually. They will first complete the purification ritual, bowing to our ancestral throne to honor our clan founder while wearing a white robe, symbol of their purity and devotion to the clan. They will then swallow the aperture awakening stone and awaken their aperture."

As the elder finished speaking, the children quickly lined up, their faces showing a mix of excitement and anxiety.

"Go, Elias. Remember, no matter what your talent is, I will still love you," Yui said, her voice trembling with emotion. She was clearly nervous about the outcome. Perhaps even more than Elias himself.

Elias did not say anything and only nodded, gave her a reassuring smile, and walked towards the stage. He joined the line of children, still deep in thought.

The elder began calling the children one by one. The first was a boy named Xiao. He was thin, with short black hair and dark eyes. Xiao took a deep breath and stepped forward. He performed the purification ritual by bowing four times to the ancestral throne, dressed in a white robe.

Next, he took an awakening stone and swallowed it. As expected, a small whirl of aether gathered around his abdomen, drawing in the surrounding energy like a whirlpool. Before Xiao could react, the elder placed the mask on him. The mask glowed and changed color—from pure white to light brown—indicating Xiao had a rank 2 potential.

Xiao took a deep breath as the crowd's slight applause faded into silence. Although he was slightly disappointed, he was glad he was now a full clan member and could cultivate.

His rank 2 brown potential was nothing extraordinary, but it was still a huge step above the dreaded rank 0 black potential. Although the clan had heavy rules protecting children, that was only before they awakened or if they had good talent. Others would be discarded without any mercy.

The elder removed his mask and handed Xiao his cloud-patterned pin. Xiao bowed deeply to the elder and the ancestral throne before making his way back to his parents.

"Next," the elder called with a neutral smile.

The line of children grew shorter as the ritual continued. Occasionally, a child would reveal a rank 3 purple talent, sparking cheers from the crowd, but most of the time, the atmosphere remained quiet. Sometimes, some rank 0 would appear.

Finally, it was Zhelowen's turn, the young master of the White Smoke clan. Zhelowen stepped forward confidently and performed the purification ritual. He swallowed the awakening stone with a smooth, practiced motion.

There was a brief, tense silence before the aether whirlpool appeared. To everyone's astonishment, instead of the usual small tornado-like whirlpool, a massive vortex emerged. It was at least three times larger than any seen before.

The crowd gasped in unison. The bigger the aether whirlpool, the better the talent and this one was enormous. Even the elder's eyes widened with surprise.

After what felt like an eternity, the aether whirlpool slowly faded away. The elder quickly placed the mask on Zhelowen. As the mask glowed and changed color, it shifted from pure white to a brilliant, vibrant blue.

The crowd erupted in cheers and applause, their excitement palpable. "A rank 5 blue potential! It is the same talent as our founding ancestor!" someone shouted.

"All hail the young master!"

"What a gifted genius! Our clan is truly blessed!"

"Our clan is definitely going to rise to the top!"

The crowd was ecstatic. Everyone was cheering and chanting Zhelowen's name. Some even broke down in tears. It was clear that Zhelowen's potential was a huge boost to the clan's morale and prestige.

Zhelowen stood silently on the stage, his face expressionless. He didn't seem to care about the commotion as if he already knew his talent in advance.

The elder, who was also surprised, quickly regained his composure and handed Zhelowen his cloud-patterned pin. "Young master, you are truly the future of the clan. I am truly blessed to be able to witness our clan's rise. I look forward to seeing you grow."

Zhelowen accepted the pin and bowed deeply to the elder and the ancestral throne. The crowd continued to cheer as he made his way back to the crowd.

"Next," the elder said, his voice carrying across the square.

The line of children grew shorter, and soon, it was Elias' turn.

Elias stepped forward. He climbed the steps and stood in front of the ancestral throne. He bowed four times, wearing a plain white robe, which emphasized his pale skin and dark hair.

Under the crowd's watchful gaze, Elias swallowed the awakening stone.