NOVEL WEB Chapter 21: Heavenly Tribulation
The Palace of Divine Enchantment, the Temple of Demon Control. A towering structure that stretched ten thousand zhang high, it seemed as if it aimed to pierce the starry skies.
Atop the Star Altar, four Star Lanterns adorned the cardinal directions. Suddenly, within the purple Star Lantern in the east, a gleaming blackness quietly coalesced in its radiant glow.
In the center of the Star Altar, an elderly figure wearing a robe adorned with a star-shaped mark between his brows opened his eyes. A divine radiance burst forth from his gaze as he focused on the eastern Star Lantern. His brows furrowed slightly.
With a wave of his hand, a message was sent out and landed separately in the main hall of the Human Ancestral Temple and the Fifth Rank family, Luo Family.
[The eastern Star Lantern has ignited; there may be a Heavenly Tribulation. Pay close attention.]
…
At the back mountain lake of Azure Heaven Mountain, thousands of Lin Family members had gathered, standing in orderly formation along the lakeside.
Whoosh!
Sudden commotion erupted as a massive black and white serpent, only revealing its enormous head, protruded from the lake. Its head alone was over ten meters wide and looked incredibly intimidating.
What was even more terrifying was the serpent's aura, which rendered everyone present immobile, unable to catch their breath. Even Lin Xiuqi and Lin Jinshan, both Foundation Establishment cultivators, were sweating, feeling as if their spiritual energy had been frozen.
As they stared in shock at the serpent, a single thought raced through everyone's mind: Where is the Grand Ancestor? Who is this colossal serpent, and has it devoured the Grand Ancestor!?
"Are you all here?" Suddenly, Lin Xuan's voice emerged from the serpent's mouth.
The Lin Family members exchanged bewildered glances, and Lin Ran, gazing at the serpent in confusion, asked, "You are… Grand Ancestor?"
Lin Xuan nodded, aware that his transformation was somewhat drastic. "My bloodline recently awakened, and with a breakthrough in my cultivation, my appearance has changed."
"May I ask about your current cultivation level, Grand Ancestor?" Lin Xiuqi couldn't help but ask, his curiosity piqued. Lin Xuan's change in aura and appearance was too astonishing.
"Peak of Foundation Establishment Realm!"
Lin Xuan casually replied. After all, it wouldn't be long before he broke through to the Golden Core Realm, and at his current level of cultivation, there was no need to conceal it.
The Lin Family members were all taken aback. Just three days ago, didn't the Grand Ancestor just break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm? How could he have reached the Peak of Foundation Establishment in just three days? This was beyond monstrous!
Lin Xiuqi and Lin Jinshan exchanged glances, their expressions solemn. The higher one's cultivation level, the more they understood the sheer monstrosity of Lin Xuan's breakthrough speed. They couldn't help but suspect that their Grand Ancestor might be a reincarnation of some powerful Monster.
"All right, no more chit-chat. I've called you here for a reason," Lin Xuan raised his tail and lightly tapped the surface of the lake.
In the next moment, the lake waters automatically parted, revealing a wide path beneath. A shining white gate stood at the center of the lakebed.
"Behind this gate is a pool that can enhance one's bloodline and aptitude. Most importantly, it can help ordinary folks awaken their spiritual roots and embark on the path of cultivation."
Lin Xuan's words hung in the air, and the lakeside became eerily silent. All the Lin Family members gazed at him with expressions of disbelief. What they had just heard seemed like a mirage. Awakening spiritual roots was an innate trait; how could there be something that could awaken them?
Though the Lin Family cultivators found it incredible, their inner turmoil was far less dramatic than that of the ordinary Lin Family members.
"Grand Ancestor, is what you're saying true?"
A young man in his twenties, among the ordinary Lin Family members, stood up in eager anticipation and disbelief. His eyes were filled with longing and doubt.
Among those present, no one doubted that the young man, who looked barely twenty, was unknown. His gaze was filled with hope and disbelief.
Lin Xunxian, from the age of six, when his family tested his spiritual roots and found them lacking, vowed to follow the path of the immortal, undeterred by his apparent limitations.
As a child, he boldly declared, "No spiritual roots, no problem; I can still tread the path to immortality!"
From that day onward, he changed his name to Lin Xunxian, signifying his quest to seek the way of the immortals. (*Xunxian: Seeking Immortality) He aspired to merge martial arts with Dao cultivation, diligently training each day, refining his body, advancing from the acquired stage to the innate stage.
At the age of eighteen, Lin Xunxian reached the pinnacle of the martial path. By twenty, he ventured into the legendary realm of martial arts, the "Heavenly Realm."
He believed this would be his gateway to immortality, but reality struck him with a harsh blow. His body had already reached the limits of human potential, devoid of spiritual energy to nurture it. Though he could unexpectedly defeat the Third Layer Qi cultivators, his progress ended there. After countless futile attempts, Lin Xunxian fell into desolation.
Yet, even in his despair, Lin Xunxian earned the respect of his entire Lin family. Instead of scorn, most family members offered words of solace and encouragement.
Now, at the age of twenty-three, Lin Xunxian stood before Lin Xuan, who, with a thought, delved into Lin Xunxian's surface memories. Even Lin Xuan, despite his concerns, held high hopes for this young man.
He eagerly anticipated the day Lin Xunxian would embark on the path of immortality, possibly ascending to great heights.
"Lin family cultivators, enter," Lin Xuan spoke.
Upon hearing this, Lin Xiuqi and Lin Jinshan led the twenty-four Lin family cultivators towards the glowing entrance beneath the lake. As for Lin Shanhai, he was still on his way back.
Watching the Lin family cultivators vanish through the gate, the eyes of a thousand Lin family members were filled with anticipation, excitement, and even a hint of tears.
Observing this, Lin Xuan lightly waved his tail, conjuring an illusion of the events within the Pool of Shedding Mortality.