C21 Blessing

The song seemed endless, but Yuan Ge decided to use the time to thoroughly examine the altar revered by everyone in the tribe as divine. This oval-shaped altar, constructed entirely from the highest quality Star Rain Stone, spanned an area as large as half a football field. A totem, resembling a stele, stood tall at the heart of the altar, its engraved rune patterns bestowing a sense of solemnity and reverence upon the space.

At last, the lengthy song concluded, much to Yuan Ge's relief. Jie'ao's voice, rough as a broken gong, then pierced the silence, bellowing, "Everyone whose name is called, come forth to receive the High Priest's blessing!"

The moment to call names had arrived, and the High Priest approached the altar with a gravitas that matched the occasion. Each child, upon hearing their name, approached the altar with a proud stride. Jiesen, Jiekui, and Jiemeng were all summoned, and Yuan Ge was the last to be called. He almost thought Jie'ao had forgotten him, until his name finally burst forth from Jie'ao's lips.

The blessing was a simple affair. The High Priest murmured incantations audible only to himself while marking each child's face with a special rune. When it was Yuan Ge's turn, he received not one, but two marks, one on each cheek.

This gesture stirred a ripple of excitement among the onlookers, signifying an additional honor within the Awakening Ceremony. This honor symbolized hope and blessing, indicating that Yuan Ge was the most promising of the thirty children undergoing the Awakening.

As this unfolded, many in the crowd directed their blessings toward Jieying, who watched Yuan Ge in the Awakening Team with unwavering focus. In her eyes, Yuan Ge was still the child who once played with mud. Yet, standing among the Awakened, his exceptional qualities became clear to Jieying. He was the strongest, the tallest, and the most handsome of the children, his brow exuding an air of confidence that set him apart. Her pride in him surged, stirring her emotions until tears streamed down her face.

Yuan Ge was well aware of the High Priest's special expectations for him, having seen the support and encouragement in the elder's eyes. The old man had been quite good to him, and Yuan Ge thought it would be worthwhile to have more in-depth conversations about life with him in the future.

At the culmination of the ceremony, the High Priest stood beneath the altar's totem, his voice trembling as he spoke: "Gods, ancestors, please grant your strength to our warriors. Guide them, protect them, and let each one awaken to become the most exceptional warrior in our tribe under your glory. Accept our homage!"

The High Priest's words soared through the heavens, inspiring every soul present. Led by his invocation, all the people paid their deepest respects to the enigmatic totem.

With the blessing ceremony concluded, the time had come for the true Awakening Ceremony. Accompanied by their families, the thirty children made their way to Awakening Valley, the site of the Awakening Trial.

From a distance, Awakening Valley appeared as a small canyon encircled by two hills, its expanse twice that of the tribe's grassland. Nestled deep within the canyon lay a thick forest, the setting for the children's Awakening Trial.

As the trial commenced, the tribe's elite warriors released various wild beasts into the valley, each varying in strength but all representing the utmost challenge these children could face. Additionally, each year a monster was introduced, with substantial rewards promised by the tribe to any warrior who could slay it. Yet, year after year, these monsters ultimately fell to the seasoned hands of the elite warriors.

This was, after all, the Awakening Trial, not an actual hunt. To safeguard the children's lives, a contingent of elite warriors would accompany them into the Awakening Valley. Their sole duty was to wield their stone spears and strike at the beasts' hearts in critical moments. However, they would not interfere with the children who had awakened and were now engaging in the slaughter of the beasts. The purpose of entering Awakening Valley was to confront these creatures in combat, thereby unlocking the latent potential within the children and achieving their awakening.

Several warriors worked together to move the massive boulder blocking the entrance to Awakening Valley. The children participating in the Awakening Trial filed into the valley and made their way to the forest's edge. Meanwhile, the crowd of onlookers had already gathered atop the hill, the prime spot for observing the trial.

As the boulder was rolled back into place, one child burst into tears. This unexpected outburst caused the others to quickly distance themselves, fearing his display of weakness might rub off on them. The child's father had already started hurling curses from his vantage point on the hill. His reaction was understandable; the child's tears signaled to everyone that he was now effectively broken.

Courage is the fundamental requirement for the Awakening Trial. Without it, one wouldn't just fail to awaken; they'd likely wet their pants at the mere sight of a wild beast. The Awakening Ceremony is no rabbit hunt in a meadow; participants must confront wild beasts, perhaps even monsters. Without the bravery to face such creatures, there's no point in discussing awakening.

The child's wailing was a nuisance. Jiekui was the first to lose his patience, kicking the child to the ground without a word. Jiemeng was even more brutal, picking the child up and slamming him back down with a thud. He snorted, "Cry again, and I'll finish you off!" He was about to strike again when the child, likely terrified of further beating, clamped his mouth shut with his hands and fell silent.

As the scuffle unfolded, Yuan Ge silently gazed at the forest, deep in thought. He pondered whether his arrows could be effective in such thick woods, where the trees grew so close together, barely a few meters apart, complicating the use of a bow.

Despite the challenge, a smirk of disdain crossed Yuan Ge's face. His confidence in his marksmanship was unshaken. If he could just spot a beast's shadow, he was certain his arrows would find their mark.

The episode with the frightened child came to an end, and from the hill, Jie'ao's booming voice announced, "The trial begins!"