A Clan's Ascension
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There weren't a lot of things that bothered Huang Wei. His life was as perfect as it could be.
First, he's a member of the Huang Clan's ruling family, the Huang Family.
Second, parents, aunt, and uncles were respected experts of the Luo Tong Kingdom.
Third, his grandfather is a grand duke and a respected expert.
Fourth, his second uncle, first aunt, and elder brother, in particular, were geniuses who were bound to become a part of the kingdom's list of apex experts.
And last but not the least, Huang Clan is backed by the greatest genius of Luo Tong Kingdom since Marshal Hao Tian, Jiang Qiao.
Well, she was the greatest genius before his first cousin, Huang Xiaolong, was revealed to be a genius with a Top Grade 13 Martial Spirit.
That was one of the things that did bother Huang Wei though. He couldn't figure out why there was such a gap in their aptitude.
Was it because Huang Xiaolong was the first born son of his first uncle's family? He thought back then.
Huang Wei was quick to deny that though. His elder brother, Huang Jun, was the first born of the Huang Family's second generation but he, as the second born, had a greater aptitude and potential. So it wasn't that.
Was it luck? He thought back then.
That made sense. Luck is part of the natural order and has existed since time immemorial. Innumerable experts of the past and present were born because of luck. While there are levels to their luck, no one is an exception to it.
While Huang Xiaolong had a far greater natural potential and aptitude than him, Huang Wei believed he could bridge that gap through hard work.
That was before today, at least.
A few hours after getting tested, or rather thrashed, by Jiang Qiao, he was informed by a servant that there was going to be an announcement in the clan's main square. So after some preparations, since he knew what the said announcement was for, he headed towards the venue with the other descendants of the clan's experts.
On the way there, Huang Wei encountered Huang Xiaolong, whose cultivation unsurprisingly surpassed his, and Yu Tao, whose cultivation was surprisingly comparable to his.
Strangely, at that time, Huang Wei couldn't help but observe them from afar. They seemed perfectly normal, but there was something that horribly bothered him and he couldn't understand why.
Then, after blinking for a couple blinks, he was taken aback by what he discovered.
First, the world turned grayish.
Second, he could see in 360 degree vision.
Third, his perception of time became slower. He perceived the movements and interaction of the people around him at least three times slower than before.
Fourth, he began seeing the auras of those around, and he could even see and read words that floated around those people.
The fourth discovery was when Huang Wei realized that he made a breakthrough in his practice of the Piercing Twilight Eyes.
The basic abilities granted by the first stage Piercing Twilight Eyes was manipulating and enhancing the eyesight of the practitioner to be able to see through darkness, shadows, illusions, and various obstacles in general.
The stage of seeing and reading certain details about people revealed by their auras, however, was a second stage ability.
Something that he shouldn't have yet truly attained, and was more likely to be temporary than anything.
Knowing how rare of an opportunity this was, Huang Wei immediately went to check what formerly unknown things about Huang Xiaolong and Yu Tao were bothering him.
The moment he did, he sort of regretted it.
[Name: Huang Xiaolong
Age: 6 Years, 10 Months
Cultivation: Mid Early-3rd Order Houtian Realm
Cultivation Technique: Unknown, Self-Made
Battle Prowess: Unknown, Extremely High
Aptitude: Immeasurable (Suppressed)
Potential: Immeasurable
Danger Level: Non-Hostile, Extremely High]
[Name: Yu Tao
Age: 7 Years, 3 Months
Cultivation: Mid Early-3rd Order Houtian Realm
Cultivation Technique: Unknown, Self-Made
Battle Prowess: Unknown, Extremely High
Aptitude: Immeasurable (Suppressed)
Potential: Immeasurable
Danger Level: Non-Hostile, Extremely High]
Huang Wei took a deep breath as he read the information that he got from them, and repeatedly read it until he knew that his eyes weren't simply lying to him.
Starting off with the least shocking information.
Yu Tao's cultivation is not only greater than his, but was actually comparable to Huang Xiaolong's cultivation!
Not only that, but the information also stated that Yu Tao's aptitude and potential are equal to Huang Xiaolong's.
Their aptitude and potential were both labeled as immeasurable, and their aptitude, in particular, were labeled as being suppressed.
Yu Tao's Martial Spirit was a Top Grade 11 while Huang Xiaolong's was a Top Grade 13. So if his aptitude was fully awakened, wouldn't that mean that his aptitude and potential was far greater than Huang Xiaolong?
Huang Wei was having a hard time comprehending such a concept.
How high can someone's aptitude and potential be?
In regards to Martial Spirits, a Top Grade 14 Martial Spirit doesn't necessarily mean that a person's aptitude is already at the top.
Moreover, Martial Spirits aren't even considered good measurements for aptitude and potential.
Aside from their aptitude and potential, nothing else was nearly as shocking as their cultivation techniques being self-made.
Did that mean they combined the Blood Spirit Art with the top-grade earth rank cultivation techniques they've chosen?
Most probably.
As Huang Wei contemplated the ludicrousy of it all, his perception suddenly returned to normal and he sensed a wave of exhaustion coming towards him.
With all the strength he could muster, Huang Xiaolong turned around and said, "I forgot something. You guys can go first, I'll catch up."
Before anyone could say anything, Huang Wei ran towards the direction of his home.
While the others wondered the reason for Huang Wei's urgency, Yu Tao and Huang Xiaolong realized who was observing them from afar earlier.
The person observing them was actually Huang Wei, someone who was behind them the entire time!
A thought came to their mind.
The Piercing Twilight Eyes!
Has Huang Wei already reached the second stage of the Piercing Twilight Eyes?
If so, then his aptitude and potential were a lot higher than they initially thought.
'The clan will be in good hands in the future then…' Huang Xiaolong mused.
'I thought he was just going to be some guy with a Grade 11 Martial Spirit. It turned out he was better than that. Not bad, I guess' Yu Tao thought.
Soon, they arrived at the main square.
Luckily for Huang Wei, many clan members haven't arrived yet, so he should have more than enough time to do his errand.
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An hour passed, everyone present within the clan's immediate territory arrived.
Seeing as how practically everyone was present, nearly everyone questioned what announcement was so important that the higher-ups even activated the clan's grand formation array.
Suddenly, the sound of a gong being hit resounded from above the central palace's main gate.
There, many of the clan's top experts, including those from the Huang Family, appeared.
"We thank you all for arriving for today's event despite its suddenness," Chen Ying said, boisterously. "You may be wondering why the clan's grand formation array was activated and why many of the patrolling clan members were recalled. The answer is simple really, and that's because today is a day to rejoice our clan's glory! After a decade of absence, our clan's first genius, Jiang Qiao, has finally returned home!"
The ground trembled and from the center of the main square, a podium rose with Jiang Qiao standing on top of it.
The main square quickly erupted in cheers at the appearance of Jiang Qiao.
While Jiang Qiao may be simply famous to the rest of the Luo Tong Kingdom and the Broken Blade Empire, she was greatly revered by the people of the Huang Clan. Jiang Qiao, after all, was the reason why the clan had reached its level of prosperity and strength today.
Without Jiang Qiao, it could be said that the Huang Clan future would've been very bleak like every other clan that didn't have high-stage Xiantian Realm experts supporting them.
Knowing how unlikely the cheers would stop for a while, Jiang Qiao spoke, "My dearest family and friends, It has been far too long since I've walked these streets and breathed this air. I have journeyed far and wide, faced dangers untold, and conquered challenges that I never thought possible. And yet, through it all, my thoughts have never strayed far from the home that I left behind. As I stand before you now, I am filled with a sense of pride and accomplishment that words cannot fully express. I have seen things that have tested my very being, but through it all, I have remained true to myself and the values that I hold dear.
"But my triumphs are not mine alone. I owe everything to the love and support that I have received from each and every one of you. It is your unwavering faith in me that has given me the strength to push forward, to never give up, and to overcome even the greatest of obstacles. So let me say this: I am back, and I am here to stay. I will work tirelessly to repay the kindness and generosity that you have shown me, to help make this community stronger, more vibrant, and more resilient than ever before. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for welcoming me home with open arms.
"Together, we will achieve greatness beyond measure!"
The cheers became louder and more ecstatic due to Jiang Qiao's speech; it was as if the skies were rumbling.
This time, Jiang Qiao waited for the cheering to stop before resuming the announcement. Once the cheering died down, she continued, "This is a momentous event for our clan, an event that would change the course of everyone's fate for the better. As after more than a decade of hardship outside the confines of the kingdom, undergoing the trials within Broken Blade Institute, traveling from empire to empire, competing with innumerable geniuses, and encountering existences of overwhelming power, I have come across an opportunity that would not only benefit myself, but also the entirety of the Huang Clan.
"From this day forward, the Huang Clan would transform into an existence that would stand at the top of the Luo Tong Kingdom and perhaps even the Broken Blade Empire in the future!"
Excitement shone from everyone's eyes as they awaited for the rest of Jiang Qiao's announcement.
"I, Jiang Qiao, with authority bestowed upon me by the manor lord and the council of grand elders, hereby commence the ascension program of the Huang Clan…!"
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Three hours later.
The announcement lasted for over an hour before it ended. Soon after it ended, Jiang Qiao, with the help of the rest of the clan's higher-ups, allocated resources to the other clan members.
The clan members were then told to cultivate in the outer region of the Huang Clan Manor as renovations were to be made.
That's right, renovations.
Yu Tao, alongside Huang Xiaolong and Huang Wei, watched in awe as humanoid artifacts reconstructed the inner region of the Huang Clan Fortress.
The central palace was being torn down in a systematic manner and was being rebuilt with higher grade materials; materials that blended with the environment on a spiritual level, emitting and producing various types of qi.
It was the same with the other structures found throughout the inner region, whether they be important facilities or a random family's home. Not only that, but as Yu Tao and the cousins were able to see, the humanoid artifacts were also good at maintaining the uniqueness that every home had.
Aside from the structures, the roads and the landscapes were also receiving improvements!
"Amazing, aren't they?" Jiang Qiao suddenly appeared out of nowhere behind the three. "Those humanoid artifacts, or androids as they're actually called, originated from the Myriad Roars Empire, the Holy Land of Innovation of our Martial Spirit World. Depending on their material and the technology built into them, they're capable of doing practically every task you assign them to."
The Myriad Roars Empire was located at the most southwestern part of the Snow Wind Continent. While it was the weakest among the divine empires, it was the spearhead of the Martial Spirit World's technological development and is where the ⅓ of the world's greatest craftspeople resided.
As a member of a highly advanced intergalactic civilization in his previous life, Yu Tao was very interested in visiting the Myriad Roars Empire in the near future. He was curious to know how the empire came to be and what kind of technologies were being developed there.
"Oh, speaking of things that we require further elaboration of. What is that?" Yu Tao gestured at the faint runes of the new grand formation array that covered the Huang Clan Manor. "I can feel every part of me being constantly nurtured by some sort of energy that I can't exactly trace but I believe originates from that grand formation array."
Huang Xiaolong and Huang Wei looked at Jiang Qiao, they too have been meaning to ask that since earlier.
Smiling, Jiang Qiao said, "Unfortunately, I can't tell you what exactly that part of the grand formation array is. However, I can tell you that the overall grade of the new grand formation array is at saint rank."
A saint rank grand formation array!
The highest average level of grand formation arrays found in low-ranked kingdoms were at the top-grade heaven rank. They would be fortunate to have any saint rank formation arrays, much less saint rank grand formation arrays.
Only mid-ranked to top-ranked kingdoms would have good access to saint rank grand formation arrays.
So did that mean that Jiang Qiao's wealth could possibly rival that of at least a mid-ranked kingdom?
Yu Tao, Huang Xiaolong, Huang Wei looked at Jiang Qiao with astonishment.
"You are overspeculating things," Jiang Qiao stated, seemingly having read their minds. "Anyway, I appreciate your patience. I was actually carefully compiling the things I wanted to give you for the past hour."
Hearing that, Yu Tao and the other two's eyes sparkled with excitement.
Without any more delay, Jiang Qiao gave each of them similarly designed rings.
"Those are top-grade heaven rank spatial rings, the mass-produced kind. Channel your battle qi into the rings to bind them. Once you bind with your rings, you'll learn what it's capable of and what's inside it."
The three followed Jiang Qiao's instructions and channeled their battle qi into their rings to bind them.
"Is this soul bind?" Yu Tao blurted out as he felt the ring extend a connection with his soul. It had been more than half a decade since he made contact with equipment like this.
"Indeed. Heaven rank equipment is normally engraved with the soul-binding enchantment. The enchantments on your rings though are merely surface-level, very common for mass-produced equipment, so just accept the soul-binding procedure," Jiang Qiao said, nonchalantly.
"Alright." Yu Tao soul-binded with the ring, allowing him to learn certain information about the ring and what were the things that Jiang Qiao stored in it. As he browsed the stored items, he couldn't help but be in shock of how generous she was with them.
Huang Xiaolong and Huang Wei were curious about Yu Tao's faint reaction and listened to Jiang Qiao. In mere seconds, their reactions mirrored his.
"While I have stored a lot of specialized things in your spatial rings, I also stored things that would be of incredible help to you in the future. Pocket money and my notes aside, the rest are small libraries of worldly knowledge that you may or may not be able to find in the Luo Tong Kingdom's grand library. Excluding the many books regarding secondary professions and cultivation that you'll surely find interesting, there are five book series in particular that I want you to read," Jiang Qiao said sternly, causing the three to give her all their full attention. "First is Broken Blade Empire: History, it has three volumes. Second is Broken Blade Empire: Power & Resources, it has two volumes. Third is Martial Spirit World: The First Era - The Shattering, it has a hundred volumes. You shouldn't start here, but if you want to learn more about historical figures from before the Great Fiendgod War, this is one of the best books you can find. Fourth is Martial Spirit World: The Second Era - The Age of Order, it has twenty-one volumes as of now. And fifth, Beyond the Martial Spirit World, it has thirty-three volumes."
The fifth book series easily caught the three's attention, especially Yu Tao whose sole ambition in life was to explore as far as his eyes could see.
Jiang Qiao discussed numerous other matters before telling them to join the other clan members in cultivation.
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Half a month quickly passed by.
A lot of things happened in this past half, such as Huang Qide getting out of seclusion and discovering the changes in the clan, the ascension program showing its effects, and Jiang Qiao visiting the clan members who were incapable of returning to Huang Clan Town without attracting any attention.
On this sunny day, Yu Tao was bending water and crushing rocks with it.
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