Closing his eyes, he focused, gripping the warmth with his will and guiding it inward. His father's expectations loomed over him like a shadow, heavy and suffocating, driving him to push harder, faster. The sheer volume of Spirit Awakening Liquid coursing through his body made his skin glow faintly blue, the excess Spirit Essence leaking into the air around him like a slow bleed.
There's a gathering point, he realized, sensing the pull. That must be where my Spirit is. Let's push everything toward it.
He concentrated, extending his will. The Spirit Essence obeyed, clumping together into a small, luminous sphere. Then, to his astonishment, the invisible spirit within his dantian stirred, consuming the energy greedily. It began to take form, first a vague outline, then a humanoid figure, until it mirrored him perfectly—a tiny, ethereal replica of Xuefeng himself. He had heard of this phenomenon, how a spirit often reflected its host, but seeing it was something else entirely.
The connection was intoxicating. The Spirit hummed with life, tethered to him in a way that felt both alien and intimate, as though his consciousness had split in two.
And yet, something was wrong.
The Spirit Qi leaked from his body uncontrollably, dissipating into the air like vapor. His chest tightened as frustration took hold. No, this isn't enough. This isn't how it's supposed to be. He pushed harder, demanding more from the Spirit. It responded, devouring the essence with ferocity, spitting out streams of Red Spirit Qi that churned through his dantian.
The whispers in the hall grew louder, dragging his attention outward. He opened his eyes and looked down at himself, his heart sinking. A red glow surrounded him, casting an unmistakable pall over the crowd. His throat tightened. Red talent. The lowest possible level.
"No," he muttered under his breath, panic clawing at the edges of his mind. This isn't happening. I didn't reincarnate to be a nobody again. I can't accept this!
The whispers turned to murmurs, then quiet chuckles, then outright laughter. Emperor Zhen's voice cut through the noise like a knife. "All that Spirit Awakening Liquid, wasted on mediocrity. How tragic."
The mockery was a dagger to his pride. Clan Leaders exchanged knowing glances, their faces betraying a mixture of pity and relief. Xuefeng could feel their collective judgment pressing down on him, cold and suffocating. He closed his eyes, blocking them out. Not like this. Not like this.
Absorb more. Change color. Absorb more. Change color, he chanted desperately in his mind, driving the Spirit like a man spurring an exhausted horse. But the red glow remained steadfast, unmoving, unyielding.
For a moment, despair threatened to swallow him whole. Was this it? Was this all he was destined to be? His father's faith, the Clan's expectations, his own dreams—all crumbling under the weight of an ordinary life.
He felt his focus waver, his concentration unraveling like frayed threads. The production of his Spirit Qi slowed, each pulse weaker than the last. Yet, in that moment of vulnerability, something stirred deep within him—a subtle shift, a change as profound as the turning of a tide. As he grappled with the very notion of fate, the red Spirit Qi swirling in his dantian began to mingle with a new hue.
Just as despair threatened to swallow him whole, a sudden commotion rippled through the hall, breaking his reverie. Xuefeng's eyes snapped open, and he was met with a sight that sent a jolt through his entire being. The crimson light enveloping him had transformed, replaced by a brilliant light green aura that pulsed with newfound energy.
He could hardly contain his elation.
Yes! It's working! he exulted inwardly, his heart pounding like a drum. He marshaled every ounce of willpower, directing it toward his Spirit. More! Absorb more! Light green isn't enough! Give me more!
Emperor Zhen was the first to rise, his movements abrupt, eyes wide with disbelief. He stared at Xuefeng as if seeing a ghost. The murmurs in the hall swelled into a racket, and soon everyone was on their feet, their gazes locked onto the spectacle unfolding before them.
Surprise etched itself onto every face, but a thread of logic kept their astonishment in check. It was common knowledge that Spirit Awakening Liquid could elevate a spirit's talent by a single level. Considering the generous amount Liu Xiaobei had lavished upon his son, it wasn't inconceivable that Xuefeng's red talent had ascended to light green.
"Light green might be commendable for common folk, but for a future Clan Leader, it's still lacking," Emperor Zhen remarked, his tone dripping with condescension as he attempted to mask his unease. But his smugness was short-lived; the words caught in his throat as Xuefeng's aura deepened once more.
All eyes remained riveted on Xuefeng as his body began to glow with a richer, darker green. The air grew thick with disbelief, the hall plunging into a stunned silence.
Those who had secretly reveled in the prospect of his failure now stood agape, their smug expressions wiped clean. Even those who had previously dismissed him couldn't help but lean forward, their interest piqued. Zhen Ping and his sister Zhen Shan exchanged glances before focusing intently on the bizarre turn of events.
"Liu Xiaobei!" the Emperor barked, irritation seeping into his voice. "What trickery is this? Have you tampered with your son to mock us? Why is his talent increasing? Did you use a Talent Suppressing Artifact?"
Liu Xiaobei threw back his head and laughed, the sound echoing boldly through the hall. "Wouldn't it be dull if my son revealed his supreme talent from the start?" he replied shamelessly. "It's far more entertaining to play with the audience's emotions a bit." He gestured to his Shadow Guards. "Ensure that no one interferes with my son. If anyone dares, eliminate them immediately."
In an instant, the Shadow Guards vanished from their posts and reappeared around Xuefeng on the stage, their Spirit Artifacts drawn and glinting menacingly. It appeared as though everything transpiring was under Liu Xiaobei's orchestration, though even he was as much in the dark as everyone else.
Amid their exchange, Xuefeng's aura shifted once more, now radiating a vibrant sky blue.
"Impossible!" Emperor Zhen exclaimed, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles whitened. "Liu Xiaobei! There's a limit to such shamelessness! Command your son to reveal his true talent immediately!"
But Liu Xiaobei merely chuckled, mirroring his son's inner amusement. Xuefeng was grinning inwardly, pushing his Spirit to its utmost limits. He felt the Spirit Essence pouring into him at an unprecedented rate, but an unsettling realization dawned—his dantian was nearing its capacity.
No! The Spirit Awakening Liquid is almost depleted, he thought urgently, a flicker of panic igniting within him. I've only reached sky blue. I can go further if I can draw in more Spirit Essence! His mind raced frantically. Think! Where can I find more Spirit Essence? If I stop now, I might never have this chance again!
Father gave me all the Spirit Awakening Liquid he had. There's nothing left. There must be another way!
As the last remnants of the liquid within his dantian dwindled, a sudden insight flashed through his mind.
The air! Of course! Spirit Essence is all around me! He chastised himself for the oversight. Spirit! Draw from the air! Absorb the Spirit Essence surrounding us!
He willed his Spirit to reach outward, to tap into the boundless reservoir enveloping him. The sky-blue aura surrounding Xuefeng flickered, thinning drastically over the next few seconds and then vanishing altogether. A collective gasp rippled through the hall. Emperor Zhen allowed himself a smirk, a sigh of relief escaping his lips.
"Seems the spectacle is over," the Emperor mused quietly. The prospect of the Liu Clan producing another high-ranking prodigy had unsettled him deeply. One was manageable; two could tip the balance of power in a way that threatened the Royal Family's dominance. His daughter, with her purple talent, was their beacon—their hope for reaching the heights of Spirit Overlord or even Spirit Emperor.
Contrasting the Emperor's relief, the rest of the hall wore expressions of disappointment mixed with lingering curiosity. They glanced toward Liu Xiaobei, surprised to find him still smiling confidently.
"This isn't over," Liu Xiaobei declared, his voice cutting through the murmurs like a blade. His eyes gleamed with a mix of pride and intrigue. "I can feel it!"