Everyone who was watching the grandson of the previous sect head defy gravity and manifest a power that they've never seen before could feel their blood reaching to the sight in front of them. Even gravity was affected as droplets of blood from the dragon blood Qi pool was floating into the air, along with dust, tiny stones and the hair of everyone within the vicinity of the temple. But it wasn't just limited to the pool and the stones on the ground, even the blood in their body was reacting to Alex. And the moment he opened those yellow eyes of his, the hearts of those not within the kid range of the earth gate skipped a beat.
"He's a monster! A demon! He's lost control! He's going to kill us all, kill him grandfather! Kill him! He's evil!" Lu Wan's screeching added to the annoyance of quite a few people there, and chief amongst them was Alex as he shifted his gaze to the spoilt brat.
"You know you talk too much, especially about thing you do not understand. Are you so hungry for death step-brother, I'm not one to back down from a challenge or not get rid of obstacles if they get in my way, regardless of who's son or grandson or grandnephew they might be. Watch yourself kid."
Alex was in an entirely different state of mind, whenever Nezha's masks was on his face, he was always impulsive, compulsive, wild and easily angered. But that was not just the characteristics of flames, became flames aren't always wild, however Nezha was a hot head. The fact that he has been calmly guiding Alex did not change that, the fire god had just grown a bit more mature since the last time he had been alive on earth.
But with Ébié's mask on, Alex had the regality and pride of a dragon, and not just that there was this laziness to act on something or someone he considers he a complete waste of time. However there was a difference with Ébié's mask and Nezha's, he didn't know how, but he was more in control of her power and abilities, plus he also felt that there was no other spirit that can exist in her mask. With her. She fulfilled both the human, animal and plant aspect of a spirit that each mask is supposed to embody.
So all Alex could do now was get her stronger and improved her power, and as she got stronger, so too will be. Alex took a step forward and the drops of blood floating in the air rapidly gathered to make steps that the young man used to descend from his place in the air. He kept coming down until he was standing right in front of his mother and grandfather, and much to the shock of everyone there, Alex included. His mother, not even caring about the fact that her son's head was that of a ferocious dragon, moved forwards and captured him in a hug, one that was so tight that it's as if she was scared he would vanish from her hands.
Alex felt weird, he didn't know how to react to this, so all he did was hang his hands by his side and he heard her heavy breathing. He could hear how fiercely her heart was pounding from within her chest, her blood pumping furiously brought her veins as her fear did not even seem to be faxing away. Alex raised his right hand and placed it on her chest, and then using his new found control for blood he calmed her raging blood and then said to her.
"I'm fine...…mother."
Alex was about to pull away when he felt a bigger arm encircle both him and his mother in a hug. His grandfather's scent assailed his senses as Alex felt himself melting into the hug. They absolutely did not give a shit about the audience they had, this was just a family comforting each other after going through the terrifying ordeal of almost loosing a child. Alex might not rest understand what was going on, but to him, this felt nice.
They pulled back from the hug and Alex in turn raised his hand to his face, an the fleshy red scales dragon head changed back into the normal smooth faced light chocolate skin boy with beautiful blue-green eyes, however there was something new. A strand of his hair had turned silver white all the way from the root. Alex held the strand in his hand white surprised by it, but then again it's not like it meant anything.
Alex looked at the mask in his hands, it was still white, though it seems to have been re-carved to have a much more sharper edge, and on it's forehead a tiny red dragon could be seen coiled around, and it almost seemed as if it was moving. There was a flash of light and the masks vanished, leaving Alex behind to deal with the aftermath of his very impressive display of power.
"Young man, what was that power? I'm the sect master and I hold the maximum authority here. Tell me how you've come to develop this power and where you got it from?"
Alex narrowed his eyes at the aggressive manner with which the sect master was using his authority to get Alex to expose his secrets. This sect master looked much more younger than his grandfather, his hair was still a deep glossy back with streaks of grey. He looked like someone in his forties, he had a full goatee which was fully grey and be had piercing red eyes that almost seemed like they were on fire.
Alex had no intention of telling him about how he got his spirit king abilities, and one of the main reasons was the fact that the shrine where he underwent his spirit king trials was the last of it's kind, or if there was another Alex wasn't sure. It was that last vestiges of an ancient history and tradition that was erased with the Advent of cultivation and Mana. As a spirit king it was up to Alex to protect it, to preserve the dreams and hopes of the spirit Kings that came before him.
But the thing is Alex was never one to lie, he didn't like it and even if he wanted to protect the origin of his power he was quite sure these people here would be able to tell if he was lying. They were much more stronger and smarter and way more experienced than he was. To think he would be able to hide his secrets from them was foolish, so all he could do was give half truths. So he turned to his mother and said to the sect master.
"If you want to find out the origin of my abilities, then you would have to ask my mother, and as soon as you're done with that you would have to ask the heavens too. Because she gave birth to me, and as far as I know, people with my abilities are born not made." And that was a very clear half truth.
Spirit Kings were born, and once they're close enough within the vicinity of a sacred ground where they can get their mantle, it would call to them. When Alex went to the (Efojale ki dogane)(The Sky Under The Ground), he had gotten there by a series of events that were completely random and out of his hands. By the time he had walked close enough to be shrine he had already lost perception of his surroundings and went there seemingly lost in thought, but was in an actual trance. And then a masquerade chased him into the shrine and here we are.
There's always a couple of potential spirit Kings born every generation, only the lucky get to be chosen to lead and hold a mantle. The sect master won't be finding any of that out though. Alex might be fourteen almost fifteen, but he could obviously see that this sect master was an enemy to his grandfather and mother, and while he hasn't gotten to the point where he could happily and fully call then family, it was within the bounds and responsibility as a son and grandson to fight and make sure he wouldn't be used as a weapons against them, and if he gets stronger he can fight back in their stead.
"You as you were born with this power? How?" one of the elders asked as he moved forwards.
"Well I think I can explain that." Alex's mother spoke up with a serious and bland look on her face.
"Before he was born, I met his father who as you all know had a very unique ability of inducing enlightenment with his paintings and was a master of wards and arrays. Even though he had a small cultivation base, everyone within the sect has to admit that he had a power and a talent that's too strange to be considered normal and is widely accepted as a special physique from the heavens, the very first of it's kind.
Well me and that very talented man made sweet sweet love, more times than I can count, and given I'm just as supremely talented, I would say the heavens had no choice but to give us a son just as unique and exquisite as his parents. He has his power because we made him well."
Everyone was completely gob smacked by her answer, and As for Alex, he very much wished the ground would open up and swallow him.