"The time has come, let the ceremony begin!"
In the grand plaza, as the sound of a bell echoed, a majestic yet calm voice suddenly resonated from the void.
As that voice slowly faded, three elders of the Gu Clan stood up solemnly from their seats. They walked to the center of the plaza, where various ceremonial tools had already been prepared.
"The ceremony begins. Ling Quan!"
Following the announcement from the three Gu Clan elders, the first name on the list was called out.
Upon hearing his name, Ling Quan promptly stood up, moving forward with a confident stride, and respectfully bowed to the elders.
Within the Gu Clan, although many young members were of age, only a select few were qualified to participate in this ceremony. These individuals were undoubtedly among the elite of the younger generation within the Gu Clan. No wonder Ling Quan had a hint of pride on his face.
In the center of the plaza, one of the solemn elders clenched his hand, and a large star disk, nearly a meter in size, appeared before him. Ling Quan swiftly stepped forward, placing his hand on the disk and closing his eyes.
Shortly thereafter, the star disk emitted a strong light, revealing six stars.
"Ling Quan, the eighth commander of the Black Submerged Army, with the strength of a one-star Dou Venerate, possessing a sixth-grade bloodline. After deliberation by the Elder Council, you are granted the Golden Clan Mark!"
"The Golden Clan Mark! Truly befitting of the eighth commander!"
Upon hearing the elder's declaration, the Gu Clan members in the plaza expressed their admiration with envious murmurs. A flash of joy passed through Ling Quan's eyes as he knelt on one knee, looking up.
At this moment, one of the Gu Clan elders held a golden brush, waving it swiftly. A mysterious symbol appeared on Ling Quan's forehead.
"Daddy, Mommy!"
As Gu Fei, Xiao Yi Xian, and Cai Lin took their seats, Xiao Xian Yue and Wu Shuang, the two little ones, were also brought to the ceremony by Zi Yan and Qing Lin.
By now, Zi Yan's strength was widely known within the Gu Clan. Even some of the highly respected elders showed great courtesy towards her.
"In another twenty years, this stage will belong to you two!"
Gu Fei gently placed the two little ones on his lap, now appearing as a doting father without a trace of his usual sharpness. His current state of mind had moved beyond competing with the younger generation, largely due to his vast strength, making such actions unnecessary.
"Sixth-grade bloodline? Golden Clan Mark? What are these things?"
In the plaza, Xiao Yan was unfamiliar with these terms, so he turned his head and asked, but even Venerable Feng couldn't answer.
The Falling Star Pavilion's members had no access to the secrets passed down among ancient clans.
"Heh, you don't even know that?"
Their conversation was met with a sneer from a strong practitioner from a large sect in Central Plains.
"Ancient clans have ten grades of bloodlines, with the first being the lowest and the tenth the highest! Clan marks are passed down through the Gu Clan from ancient times. In times of crisis, they can temporarily boost the power of the Gu Clan members' bloodlines, enhancing their strength to turn the tide!"
"Clan marks are divided into four levels: Silver, Gold, Purple Gold, and Rainbow Gold. Ling Quan's mark ranks third, the Golden Clan Mark..."
"These clan marks have such effects?"
Although the man mocked him, Xiao Yan was more surprised than resentful. He hadn't expected the Gu Clan members to possess not only innate advantages in cultivation but also such powerful means to boost their strength.
"Elder, during the coming-of-age ceremony, do I have the right to challenge anyone?"
After receiving his clan mark, Ling Quan did not step down. Instead, he glanced at Xiao Yan and respectfully inquired of the elders.
"Hmm?"
The three Gu Clan elders frowned simultaneously, uncertain of Ling Quan's intentions, but the rules were indeed clear.
"According to tradition, you may challenge any member of our clan. However, if the person is not from our clan, their consent is required before engaging in a duel..."
Upon hearing the conversation on the platform, Xiao Yan suddenly recalled the strange looks the Gu Clan members had given him earlier.
"Xiao Yan, I've heard you're a descendant of the ancient Xiao Clan. Do you have the courage to challenge me, Ling Quan, so that everyone can witness the current prowess of your ancient Xiao Clan?"
As expected, the next moment, Ling Quan directed his gaze towards Xiao Yan, but his words left Xiao Yan confused.
"The ancient Xiao Clan?"
Since entering Central Plains, Xiao Yan had heard of the ancient Xiao Clan, but he was unaware that he was a descendant of that now-declined clan.
At this moment, although Ling Quan wanted to fight Xiao Yan, he felt Xiao Yan was too weak, so he tried to provoke Xiao Yan into challenging him first.
"Xiao Yan, you are indeed from the Xiao Clan, but the ancient Xiao Clan is now a mere shadow of its former self. You don't need to pay any attention to Ling Quan!"
Originally, Xun'er had avoided sitting near Xiao Yan to prevent Gu Fei from misunderstanding. However, seeing Ling Quan's actions, she worriedly approached Xiao Yan to warn him.
At this point, most of the people present wore expressions of schadenfreude, especially the two members of the Yao Clan who had arrived for the ceremony.
"It seems that the disciple of that abandoned one is quite disliked. It also turns out he's a descendant of the ancient Xiao Clan. This should be interesting!"
Yao Xingji's interest was piqued instantly. He hadn't expected such amusement at the very start of the Gu Clan's coming-of-age ceremony.
"Hehe, Xiao Yan, if you're too scared, you don't have to challenge me!"
"The ancient Xiao Clan, haha!"
On the platform, Ling Quan's eyes turned cold when he saw Xun'er approaching Xiao Yan, and he sneered.
"Such a waste, challenging Ling Quan, a one-star Dou Venerate? How could he dare?"
Everyone understood that Ling Quan's actions were intentionally meant to publicly humiliate Xiao Yan, a member of the ancient Xiao Clan.
"My ancient Xiao Clan was once a great clan equal to the Gu Clan, but now, in my generation, it has fallen to this?"
Upon learning of his identity, Xiao Yan felt a deep sense of humiliation and unwillingness. He contemplated whether to fight Ling Quan to uphold his clan's honor, even if it meant risking his life.
"Enough, Ling Quan, step down! Don't waste any more time!"
Just as Xiao Yan was seething with anger and indecision, Gu Yao, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground, exuding an icy aura, suddenly spoke up.
His words were not meant to defend Xiao Yan but were purely out of disdain for him.
To Gu Yao, Xiao Yan was nothing but a waste of time, a mere hindrance to the ceremony's progress.
There was simply no need for this.