More than a hundred fifteen-year-olds gathered before the Clan Pavilion. The pavilion loomed in the heart of the village, a five-story structure with a sharp, slanting roof, guarded heavily by sentries. Behind its doors lay the ancestral hall, housing the memorial tablets of the Gu Yue ancestors.
"Good, everyone is on time. Today is the Awakening Ceremony; it is the great turning point of your lives. I won't say much—just follow me." The speaker was the Academy Elder. His hair and beard were stark white, but he was in high spirits as he led the teenagers inside.
Chi Shan was blended into the crowd, quietly and cautiously observing everything. They walked hundreds of steps until the darkness deepened, and the faint sound of flowing water reached their ears. Entering an underground cave via a stone staircase, they passed through a breathtaking corridor adorned with dimly glowing moss and stalactites that created a kaleidoscopic, magical display.
Gasps of awe erupted from the group, but Chi Shan was lost in a different world of thought.
This is magic!
A faint glow from the exit drew their attention, leading them into a massive underground cavern split by a fresh-water spring. Chi Shan forgot all his prior assumptions; the scene was otherworldly.
The dark ceilings mimicked a night sky, while beautiful pink and blue flowers behind the riverbank on the far side glowed like fallen celestial bodies, illuminating the interior so clearly that one could see the peaceful riverbed and the passing fish behind waving grass.
"Everyone must enter the spring," the Elder announced solemnly. "The further you can walk, the better. Understood? Gu Yue Chen Bo, step forward!"
The young man stepped forward hesitantly, dipping his bare feet into the shallow spring. He took a few steps before Chi Shan noticed the boy's trembling and struggle. A heavy silence fell as the boy returned with his head bowed low.
"Ah... Gu Yue Chen Bo has no talent for cultivation," the Elder declared coldly. A girl near Chi Shan sighed in grief, "No, not Chen Bo... he promised we would be together."
You might not have any talent either, Chi Shan thought, suppressing his intrusive, harsh reflections.
The Elder's loud voice broke his train of thought: "Gu Yue Mo Yan, Rank Two talent!"
Whispers of admiration broke out as the beautiful girl with shining black eyes returned, beaming with success. Spurred by this, others entered the spring, trying to absorb the motes of light swirling around the lush aquatic plants, but many were unable to advance very far.
"Gu Yue Chi Shan!"
Chi Shan stepped out from the crowd, and a dead silence fell. William, the former soldier, stepped forward with the same military bearing honed by years of training; his well-knit body stood taller and stronger than his peers, and his wild black hair gave him an aura of natural authority.
All eyes followed him with curiosity and hunger—for years, everyone had whispered that the "divine strength" in his muscles was merely a prelude to a peerless Rank One talent.
The water was unexpectedly warm and comfortable. He felt small fish nibbling near his toes. Taking a deep breath, he moved forward.
13... 17... 19... 20 steps.
Particles of gentle white light floated around him, entering his body from several directions and settling in his abdomen. It was a warm, pleasant sensation. The pressure around him increased, but he pushed on. Lost in the experience, he stopped counting his steps until he reached the twenty-ninth.
Suddenly, a silent explosion echoed within his being. Between his kidneys, the sphere of light reached its limit and abruptly burst. The force of the blast shook his soul. His hair stood on end, his pores clamped shut, and his mind reached a peak of tension before his body suddenly went limp as if falling into the clouds.
Sweat poured from him, and he felt a "void" form beneath his navel... the Aperture was born.
He regained his senses to see the faces of the onlookers. Shock was the only word to describe the atmosphere.
"What? Did Chi Shan only walk 29 steps?"
"So... he is only a Rank Three talent (C-grade)?"
"Unbelievable! Someone as strong as him only has such mediocre talent?"
An uproar erupted among the crowd. The Clan Head clenched his fists, disappointment etched into his voice. In the corner of the hall, William saw his father, Chi Fan, whose face had turned from blatant pride to a deathly paleness.
The looks of reverence once cast his way turned into muffled mockery; in the world of Gu, physical strength was nothing—Primeval Essence was king.
The Elders watching from the shadows whispered among themselves: "How do you explain his previous strength?" "The method is incredibly accurate; cheating is impossible."
"Ah, the higher the hopes, the greater the disappointment. This generation of the Gu Yue clan is no longer like the first."
The ceremony concluded with the discovery of another Rank Two talent, Gu Yue Qing Shu, who was immediately adopted by the Clan Leader.
William returned to his room in silence. He sat on the floor in a cross-legged position—a habit from his military training to calm his nerves.
Why? he thought bitterly. In the novel, Chi Shan had Rank Two (B-grade) talent... why don't I?
Then, he let out a long, heavy sigh. The only reason I can think of is being an "Otherworldly Demon." My presence has shifted the scales.
William gripped his hands so tightly his knuckles turned white, his eyes burning with a dark resolve:
"B-grade would have made my path easy... but C-grade means I will have to fight like a madman to seize my place. Dammit!"