The vast Ancestral Plaza of the Li Clan was a sea of solemn faces and brocade robes. Carved from pristine white jade and large enough to hold ten thousand men, the plaza exuded an ancient and imposing aura. At its center stood a ten-meter-tall black obelisk, the Awakening Monolith, its surface smooth and cold, pulsing with a faint, dormant energy. For a thousand years, this monolith had determined the fate of every Li Clan descendant.
At the head of the plaza, seated upon a throne of polished redwood, was the Li Clan Patriarch, his expression as unreadable as a deep abyss. Flanking him were the clan's elders, their faces etched with the gravity of the occasion. Below, hundreds of youths aged sixteen stood in tense formations, their gazes fixed on the monolith, a mix of hope and dread warring in their eyes. This was the annual Spiritual Root Awakening Ceremony, the day their path in the world of cultivation would be set in stone.
"Li Ming, step forward!" an elder announced, his voice booming across the silent square.
A nervous youth scurried to the monolith and placed his hand upon it. A soft white light enveloped the stone, rising about a meter high. "High-Grade Mortal Root! Not bad. You may begin Body Tempering next month," the elder declared with a slight nod. The boy bowed, his face a mixture of relief and disappointment.
Another was called. "Li Lan!" A faint green light appeared, climbing two meters. "Low-Grade Earth Root. Acceptable. You have a chance to reach the Foundation Establishment realm in the future." A small murmur of envy went through the crowd. An Earth Root, even a low-grade one, was already a mark of a minor talent.
Far from the main crowd, leaning nonchalantly against a jade pillar, Li Wei watched the proceedings with an undisguised look of boredom.
Flanking him like loyal hounds were his two most ardent followers, Li Jin and Li Bao. Hearing the result, Li Jin snorted audibly, his voice dripping with contempt. "A Low-Grade Earth Root, and they look so proud? How pathetic. They are but fireflies trying to compare themselves to the brilliant sun that is Young Master Wei." Li Bao nodded vigorously.
"Indeed. Their pathetic lights will be extinguished the moment the Young Master reveals his true talent."
Li Wei's handsome face remained a mask of cold arrogance, his deep, dark eyes sweeping over his peers as if they were nothing more than ants. A short distance away, a cluster of young female disciples couldn't keep their eyes off him. "Young Master Wei is so cool and handsome," one sighed dreamily.
"His talent will surely be a Heaven Root! He's the only one worthy of leading our clan's new generation," another added, her cheeks flushed. One by one, the youths were tested. The results were predictable—mostly Mortal Roots, with a handful of Earth Roots sprinkled in. The Patriarch's stoic expression never wavered. They were waiting for a true genius.
Finally, the presiding elder took a deep breath and called out the name that was on everyone's mind. "Li Wei!"
A hush fell over the entire plaza. Every eye, from the Patriarch on his throne to the lowliest servant, turned to the young man by the pillar. Li Wei pushed himself off it, his movements unhurried and graceful. His followers, Li Jin and Li Bao, puffed out their chests, looking down on everyone with smug satisfaction.
Li Wei walked towards the monolith, his footsteps echoing in the profound silence. He ignored the burning gazes of his rivals, particularly his cousin Li Tian, whose face was with hope for his failure. Li Wei reached the Awakening Monolith and, without a moment's hesitation, placed his palm flat against its icy surface.
The world seemed to hold its breath. A profound silence descended, thick with anticipation and dread. The monolith remained dark and inert, absorbing the warmth of his hand.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three.
A nervous whisper broke the silence. "Nothing's happening?"
Li Tian's face began to show a flicker of vicious delight. Just as the first snickers began to bubble up from his rivals, a low, almost imperceptible hum started to emanate from the ancient stone, a vibration that seemed to resonate not with spiritual energy, but with the very soul of the world.