Another Path

" Father I'm a bit anxious "

" Silly, why should you be. If you are anxious how do you expect the others to feel, you should know that your swordplay is the best and those that can match you can be counted with my fingers! "

Hearing this, a young lad's face suddenly became bright with a somewhat cheeky smile.

Seeing this a middle aged man who stood beside him shook his head helplessly.

" Brat, so that's what you wanted, you just wanted me to praise you?! "

" It always feel pleasing when i hear you say it " the lad said with a more radiant smile on his face.

" I wonder how you always get me to fall into those cheap tricks of yours "

The lad just chortled and stared at the slightly colossal platform which stood few metres away from him. It was currently been polished and treated by some servants of the clan.

The stone platform stood gallantly with several archaic mysterious symbols imprinted on its edges, just only gazing at the platform would make one feel an ancient presence.

The antiquated platform was split into several sections with each enough to contain two humans battling. The platform was used for nothing else but the ceremony of the coming of age in Wateredge clan.

Wateredge clan an infinitesimal clan which resides at the outskirts of its country territory could be regarded as a low-grade clan, with such a poor status they couldn't be in hold of a bloodline so they could only rely on the underlying and popular path to cultivate.

Compared to bloodlines it was a bit unremarkable. It was this way, with only the power of a bloodline flowing in one's vein could one be birthed with a dantian, as it was in such manner, a huge barrier was placed hampering a lot of people but it didn't last long before a path to tread surfaced.

It was either you became a weapon wielder or you inject the blood of beasts into your body, this way you could forceful carve a dantian.

As for Wateredge they were pure swordsmen with their techniques regarded as top notch within their proximity.

Lee stared at his surrounding from where he stood and couldn't help but take in a deep breath as he watched how the members and servants were working industriously to put things in place, his vision mainly was focused on a middle-aged man who sat on the most eye catching platform, from his aura and demeanour one could tell that he was not a member of the clan and with the way the elders of the clan were swarming around him one would know he was very important in the ceremony.

Lee's father was no longer beside him he had left to settle some matters. Lee being regarded by his father as the best swordsman wasn't just some pointless words but the plain truth.

Lee at the young age of fourteen had already almost mastered the clan's clandestine sword art [ Shadow Piercing sword art ]. This art was completely deadly as it focused on speed and the sharpness of a sword, if one wasn't careful he could get killed without even knowing.

Not only that he had attained the legendary realm of 'one with the sword' which was the perquisite for participating in the ceremony.

Compared to the other participants Lee could be regarded as a juvenile, Lee stared at their huge bodies which were more durable than his young thin body and couldn't help but sigh.

The stone platform was a battleground for those who participated in the ceremony, with the limited resources they couldn't afford to nurture the whole younger generation, so if one wanted to become a cultivator, you had to fight for it, even Lee had to follow this rule.

************

After a long period of time everything was already in place and the atmosphere had become tense and a bit heavy, the members of the clan had gathered around while the participants were already standing behind the platform and the elders and some other invited guests sat on a stone seat lower than the strange middle-aged man only Lee's father sat on the same height as the man.

In the next moment, Lee's father rose up and suddenly began to speak with the pressure of a leader laced in his voice not the same seeming naive man that was being toyed by his flippant son.

" I welcome everyone to our annual coming of age ceremony, it is very important that we do this as it holds the future of our clan in it" everyone nodded in acknowledgment to Lee's father's word, the younger generation held the progress of the clan so they had to be treated well.

"Without wasting much word, I would advice the participants to perform well so as to have the chance to be selected by this esteemed practitioner" Lee's father turned his gaze towards the middle-aged man and smiled, with the man replying with a soft grin and with this he sat back.

" Elder Waxstone, you can take over"

The elder referred to, immediately rose up and bowed deeply towards Lee's father.

" At your service Clan Head "

With this the elder sprang on the platform with great agility, which caught the attention of the crowd.

"I will be serving as the judge of this ceremony, I would release some energy outlandish stones with different properties in the section lined out on this platform, the rules are simple all you got to do is just sit in a section that has an energy outlandish stone that contains the property of your chosen sword path"

" Know that each section must contain approximately four people. That's were the competition comes, since you have reached the ' one with the sword ' realm all you are needed to do is just absorb the energy in the stones and your intent would naturally form, so simply implying that the one who comprehends and absorbs faster would emerge as the one who succeeds and if his intent is formidable he could have a chance to be selected"

" Remember this is a one in a life time opportunity it must not be wasted, good luck" with this he waved his sleeves and several stones brimming with strong pulses of energy burst out and spread around the platform under the burning gazes of Lee and the rest who had a competitive aura eddying around them.

************

Lee sat in a lotus position on the section with energy outlandish stones which was icy- blue in colour and was undulating a very frigid energy.

He had his eyes shut and was anxiously waiting for the signal of elder Waxstone . In the next moment a long awaited voice reverberated around the area of the platform.

" Begin!!"