Chapter 25: Dawn

The old woman sitting opposite was aged and stooped, with grey hair and a face full of wrinkles like dried, decaying bark, her appearance ugly and terrifying.

— “Star Weaver” You Qiushui, among the Nine Elders, her cultivation was at the lower end, yet her temperament was surprisingly ill-tempered and unpredictable, extremely difficult to please.

However, this person excelled at weaving the “Net of Stellar Fate,” a secret art derived from astrology but superior to it. It was said she could manipulate the flow of fortune and pluck the strings of fate, profound and unfathomable. For this reason, the other elders, even if displeased, would show her some deference.

“Marry her son, what a thought!” However, Gu Yanran couldn’t help but feel unhappy, silently grumbling to herself, “Facing this disgusting face every day, wouldn’t I shorten my lifespan by ten years?”

She had heard that this old woman before her was once a stunning beauty who could outshine the moon and shame flowers. Later, for a man, she divined heavenly secrets, incurred Heaven’s Retribution and a curse, which transformed her into her current appearance. And that man, a faithless scoundrel, seeing her beauty gone, abandoned her and pursued another beauty, forming a union with her.

It was precisely because of these multiple blows that this old woman became what she was now.

Gu Yanran turned her head and glanced at another elder, a scar-faced, burly man who was resting with his eyes closed.

Qin Yue, the only one among the Nine Elders who was in his prime.

It wasn’t that his cultivation was exceptionally outstanding, but that his luck was extraordinary. During his travels, he actually subdued a Transcendent Behemoth—the “Bountiful Tusk Boar.” This beast’s combat power was immense, reaching the heavens, and its auxiliary abilities were endless. It might even inherit the Heaven’s Revelation title—”Dang Kang”!

If not for this, with Qin Yue’s cultivation level, he wouldn’t be worthy of that mithril throne.

“It’s about time to begin…”

While Gu Yanran was lost in random thoughts, Gu Yan gave a faint smile, swept his wide sleeves across the long table, and like clouds parting to reveal the moon, the scenes below were displayed one by one.

Suddenly, a hazy radiance rose like mist, bathing everyone’s faces in a jade-gold color.

“Morning Duck, awake?” Gu Yan rarely showed astonishment and said in a low voice, “This… isn’t common…”

“Is it that old guy? Really unfair. During my Martial Display, there was no…” Gu Yanran calculated, feeling a slight imbalance in her heart.

“Morning Duck is spiritual, its intuitive sense of fate is like a divine revelation. Perhaps it sensed something.” You Qiushui smiled, though her laugh was like a crow’s, dry and unpleasant.

“So, the selection is starting early?” the scar-faced man smiled, crossed his arms, and said.

“That seems to be the case, but the basic procedures still need to be followed…” Gu Yan nodded.

…

Dragon’s roar!

A dragon’s roar arose, subduing all beasts, flattening myriad trees. Its sound waves seemed boundless, reaching the highest heavens and descending to the Yellow Springs!

“Morning Duck?” Yan Zhao clicked his tongue, his eyes wide open. “How did this old monster suddenly wake up? I heard this beast doesn’t show itself without reason; it only opens its eyes when sensing an unparalleled Heaven’s Pride. Interesting, more and more interesting…”

“This might be an opportunity.” Zhangsun Shenji reacted the fastest, his eyes shining with delight.

“Are you talking about the Dawn Dragon—Morning Duck?” Li Yi had actually heard this name many times, but truly feeling its vast and abyssal Dragon’s Aura was a first for him. His heart was in turmoil.

In the sky, it seemed as if an invisible hand swept across the firmament, dissipating the clouds for thousands of miles.

And in the mountains, everyone felt difficulty breathing. The magic power within their bodies became sluggish and stiff, their knees grew weak, and they almost knelt to pray and worship.

A single dragon’s roar was so powerful!

“It’s coming!”

Zhangsun Shenji’s light shout pulled Li Yi out of his shock.

“Coming? What’s coming?”

Curious, Li Yi followed his gaze and saw a wisp of golden radiance slowly rising from deep within the mountain peak.

Like a spark igniting a prairie, this wisp of golden radiance actually ignited the Void, burning fiercely and spreading all around.

Where the golden radiance reached, the grass, trees, and flowers did not burn. Instead, they were cleansed as if by a fresh rain in an empty mountain, full of vitality.

Li Yi even saw an old tree, withered and dying, sprout a new bud under the golden radiance’s glow.

“Good heavens, what on earth is this?” Li Yi licked his dry lips and exclaimed.

The golden radiance was like clouds, like mist, intertwining like smoke and rain, growing more intense!

Holy, vast, glorious, and brilliant—this wisp of light actually made the sun seem dim in comparison.

“This is the Eternal Dawn Radiance, the ability of the title ‘Morning Duck.'” Without caring for much else, Zhangsun Shenji kicked Yan Zhao and slapped Li Yi’s shoulder hard, commanding loudly, “Tame your fox tails and hidden dark sides! Open your souls, be without desire or want, and focus your minds! This light can penetrate your souls. The purer and clearer your thoughts, the more benefits you’ll gain.”

After saying so much, still worried the two didn’t understand the seriousness, he emphasized another point.

“Also, the selection of Heaven’s Pride has already begun!”

Under the immense Dragon’s Aura, Li Yi inevitably felt anxious and nervous. Fortunately, he had already witnessed countless bizarre things and knew how to adjust himself.

Like in meditation, he slowed his breathing, his heartbeat became sluggish, his thoughts ethereal, without joy or sorrow.

From a high aerial view, the golden light was like a spreading jade-gold carpet, gradually covering the entire Dawn Cliff.

The next scene caused Li Yi’s expression to shift slightly.

Bathed in the golden radiance, rows of youths turned into molten gold figures, with countless fine Runes floating around them. Among them were “Vigor,” “Morale,” “Recovery,” “Agility,” etc. A few were particularly prominent; on their bodies, there were Runes like “Mana Surge,” “Light Shield,” and so on.

He turned his head, his gaze becoming rigid, standing there dumbfounded.

“My heavens!”

Zhangsun Shenji’s face showed neither joy nor sorrow. He spread his arms open, and the golden radiance flowed down, actually sketching a huge vortex above his head!

A blue light shot toward the sky!

Zhangsun Shenji looked relaxed and comfortable. Above his head, the image of a water lily appeared, its leaves floating gently, swaying gracefully.

Billions of lights, millions of Runes, seemed attracted by this, swirling around him and pouring in torrents!

“So amazing, is it a Bloodline Ability?” Li Yi was speechless. He knew the Zhangsun Clan’s bloodline was called “Zi Wu,” and their clan emblem was a shimmering water lily. This water lily might be a manifestation of their Bloodline Ability.

Another light spread out all around.

Su Xuan’er!

On her left shoulder, a star shone brightly, while on her right abdomen, another star flickered faintly.

The Runes floating up and down were like two spirit serpents, rushing eagerly into the two stars.

However, Su Xuan’er’s face showed no joy; instead, she wore a slight expression of anger.

This second Spirit-God Aperture was her hidden trump card. For it to be revealed inexplicably now was truly unpleasant.

“Forget it, I have more than just this trump card…” she fumed inwardly.

Next, as expected, it was Yu Qian’s turn.

A merman figure coiled, swam in a circle, and bowed its head in salute.

However, whether in terms of grandeur or the scene of Rune gathering, it was far inferior to the previous two.

“Two scoundrels!” Yu Qian’s face was flushed red, his eyes filled with resentment and even a hint of madness. “Enjoy it for now. Soon, you’ll know how powerful I am…”

At this time, scattered strange phenomena continuously rose, though compared to Yu Qian’s, they were even dimmer.

In the crowd, Xun Ye held his hand in a flower-picking gesture, between his two fingers was the illusion of a tulip.

And Gao Huanzhang, who had also been discussed by a few earlier, now had his hands clasped together, a lone lamp like a bean glowing faintly on his fingertip.

Li Yi imitated Zhangsun Shenji’s actions, stretching his arms to embrace the radiance, but he clearly had the form without the essence, producing an effect worlds apart.

Countless fine Runes rose and fell outside his body. Eight or nine out of ten were low-level Runes. The only relatively powerful one, “Brilliant Discipline,” looked lonely and sparse. Especially since Li Yi was next to Zhangsun, it seemed as pitiful as a beggar.

Shifting his peripheral vision to glance at Yan Zhao, he was shocked again.

The scene before him was truly bizarre. The glorious stream of light swept past, leaving behind only a shadow for Yan Zhao, not a single Rune stopping.

As if he were treated as a stone!

“Yan Zhao, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” Concern caused confusion; as the thought arose in Li Yi’s heart, the Runes outside him churned and scattered.

“Don’t lose focus! Don’t I know my own situation?” Yan Zhao shouted angrily, saying sternly, “Learn from Zhangsun, take care of yourself first!”

Li Yi nodded, his emotions calming. Some stray thoughts flitted through his mind.

“Zhangsun was right. The ability of the title ‘Lü’er’—Sowing Beans into Soldiers, summoning treant guards—doesn’t have an advantage compared to the title ‘Morning Duck.'”

While lost in thought, two defiant beast roars soared from deep within his body!