Chapter 1

[ Crimson Continent, Starry Mountain Range, Midnight Village]

The day was at its peak. The spicy sunlight coated the little houses of the Midnight residents in golden hues. The village was uncharacteristically quiet. Usually there would be little boys and girls running around, playing, teenagers loitering around looking for mischief to make while adults were busy traveling the muddy village roads working. Amidst this quiet atmosphere, voices can be heard in a reasonably large two story building to the rear of the village.

A middle-aged man with soft features and a feather tattoo on his neck asked in a solemn voice, "Are the preparations for the Awakening Trials over?" An elder replied, slightly bowing his head, "Reporting to Village head, the 10 best village youths have been prepped. There are five that the other village elders believe will succeed in The Awakening and bring the village glory in the next Promotion Tournament."

"Good Good!" The village head remarked, visibly pleased, "You may resume activities. We will hold the Awakening Ceremony tonight." He then vanished from his seat.

The 200 odd villagers poured out of the hall and resumed their daily activities.

It was midnight, the Village head stood atop of a pitch black altar situated in the forest opposite the entrance of the village. The altar was like a void; seemingly sucking away the waning moonlight. Below the circular altar were nine human youths and one tall boy with vertically slit eyes and dark violet scales on his outer forearm. Two fangs protruded from his excited face as he stood straight, seeming to be dreaming of something pleasant.

He stood a few paces away from the group. The human village kids huddled and whispered to each other, discreetly pointing at his tattered and stained clothes. One girl in particular seemed to be the ringleader amongst them. Her neat brown hair tied into a stylish bun and was adorning a beautiful black dress. Her soft features were illuminated by the dim moon peeking through the clouds, with pink lips and pale complexion she looked like a teenage lunar goddess. It was unexpected for such a refined looking 15 year old young woman to be found in a forest village at the outskirts of the Noir Forest, but looking carefully you can notice by her disposition she seemed a bit boorish compared to her appearance. Mingling with the eight boys around her, she seemed not only mimic but lead them in their childish behavior, not noticing the infatuated looks some of them were expressing on their silly faces.

"Look at his weak and frail body, if it wasn't for his animal blood he would've never passed the trials."

A strong looking 15 year old sneeringly remarked tapping the shoulder of his friend nearby.

"Tsk, such slight advantages will only wane once we all begin our cultivation. The heavens are cruel towards halfbloods. He will never be anything more."

The other boy said in an annoyed tone. Rubbing his right arm where marks of teeth with two deep holes at each extreme of the imprint scarred his bronze skin. He winced in pain at the memory. Continuing to curse the boy, a loud but sweet voice made him pause.

"After I get my innate spirit and cultivate to the first rung of the spirit path I will personally expel that animal-fucker's offspring from our village. He is such an eyesore! I can't comprehend why its mother didn't kill herself before giving birth and not after!"

Peals of laughter emerged from the petite young woman's mouth as she viciously declared her dislike for the snake like boy.

Hearing her words the boy's handsome serpentine face scrunched. What was weird was that that he seemed to be holding in a laugh, but no one could see his face as they were backing him.

Turning around, a short youth, about a head below the girl, tried to escalate the conflict, " OuOOOOO... She Li do you dare respond to Young Miss Cang's words? Huh?"

Before his taunts could continue, the voice of Village Head, who seemed to have just finished setting up the array flags for the ceremony shook the air around them.

" Shut Up! Li Ti, come up here, you'll be first."

Lowering his head Li Ti jumped onto the altar and sat cross-legged in the center of the array. Beside him, the village head started walking around in complex patterns and made mysterious signs with his hands.

Very quickly vicious-looking black energies emerged from the altar and burrowed into Li Ti's dantian. *woosh* A clear aura was emitted from Li Ti's body. This aura was visible to all and extended vertically until it reached a foot high. Everyone held their breath at the sight of such a long spiritual aura. They looked on as if expecting something more but after a few minutes the black energy around him dispersed. Sighing the village head announced, "Li Ti, exceptional Seven star talent, no dark innate spirit."

Hearing his evaluation Li Ti felt a bit saddened, although seven star talent was prodigious he was unable to awaken a dark element innate spirit. This however, did not mean he had no innate spirit, as every human in the world was blessed with aleast one. He probably had a spirit of another element, but the village only had a Void Night Altar so it was impossible for a villager to awaken anything but a dark innate spirit and there was no place for him to confidently awaken his innate spirit without him possibly selling his soul.

As Li Ti slumped off the the altar and plopped onto a log at the edge to the clearing in the forest that they were on the next youth, Li Fan Dan, stepped up and sat in position and the ceremony continued.

Li Fan Dan, Two star talent, average, no dark innate spirit

Chu Tian, Two star talent, average, no dark innate spirit

As the the third youth sat down the Village head was now frowning as he performed the ceremony. As spiritual aura burst out of the third boy, Chu Ni, a beautiful voilet light sprung out, originating from his gabella. The light then condensed into a small purple centipede, who's carapace shined with a dangerous violet glow. The innate spirit then wiggled and merged with Chu Ni's four inch spiritual aura boosting it by an inch and a bit, reaching the peak of three star at six inches. With a charming smile blooming on his face the Village head nodded at the youth and announced,

" Chu Ni, Quasi-Four star talent, talented, low-tier dark innate spirit Natti centipede awakened."

Proudly, Chu Ni stood up and stretched his back straight as an arrow. He grinned as he looked at his innate spirit and smiled as it curled around his arm and vanished into his body. He then jumped off the altar. As he descended the altar there seem to be a purple aura surrounding him and when the next youth brushed past him he staggered from Chu Ni's disorienting poison-like aura.

Waving his hand the Village head dissipated Chu Ni's aura and at the same time the boy recovered from his stupor. Chuckling, Chu Ni walked towards his brother and sat down with his eyes closed, but before that he did not forget to cast a quick smile at Miss Cang and a disdainful snort towards She Li who seemed to be examining him with his mysterious serpentine eyes.

The whole event of Chu Ni awakening an innate spirit and the plight of the boy incited gasps and praises from the youths. As the first to awaken an innate spirit his status grew, proven by the admiring gazes of the crowd. Even the Seven star Li Ti gave him an envious glance. Seeing all of this Village Head Cang shook his head and resumed.

"Li Fan, three star talent, good, no dark innate spirit."

"Cang Bai, three star talent, good, Low-tier Jade eyed shadow spider awkened."

"Li Li, four star talent, talented, Low-tier peak Pygmy demon monkey awkened!"

The crowd exclaimed in surprise as they inspected the the tiny monkey on Li Li's shoulder. Each of them congratulated him as he walked past. They all knew that he would be a top figure in the village with his Low-tier peak innate spirit. Even some of the village protectors didn't have such a powerful innate spirit, so there was no shame in sucking up to him. Even Chu Ni gave him a flattering smile.

The next person to position themselves on the altar was the unruly Miss Cang. Looking at the arrogant smile on his daughter's face, Head Cang couldn't help a silent chuckle. Executing his part he watched as she was bathed in the dark energies. *Weng* A purplish spiritual aura shot out of her and grew upward, simultaneously a hazy twinkling blue-ish light was projected and morphed into a blue wand, endowed with sparkling purple stars, at its head an illusory milky white stone was blinking in and out of existence. With a joyful laugh Village head Cang announced his daughter's evaluation,

" Cang Rou, Quasi-Six star Illusion based spiritual talent, genius, middle-rank peak Illusory Astral Wand! Hahaha!"

Hearing the Young Miss' evaluation the group cheered and praised her talents. They were a bit confused about why her spiritual aura was colored even before incorporating her innate spirit and as to why the Village head defined her spiritual talent as Illusion based. Seeing their confused faces the Village Head promised to explain why at the end of the Awakening Ceremony.