C20 Holy Hall Provocation

Yuan Ling rose from his bed and stretched his limbs, feeling the power he had gained from unlocking the Acupoint the previous night gradually flow through his body. Now, he could face a martial artist of the Fourth Realm without fear, even in direct physical combat.

He nodded, pleased with himself, and turned his attention to Yuan Mu. "Are you starting the baptism already?"

"Uh, not exactly. I was just too excited to sleep. I was so bored that I decided to come see you," Yuan Mu replied.

Noticing the dark circles under Yuan Mu's eyes, Yuan Ling realized his friend had hardly slept. "Is the baptism really making you this anxious?"

"How could I not be both nervous and excited? Just thinking about that cocky kid who's opened nine meridians makes me eager to undergo the baptism myself. I'd willingly jump into the cauldron to be cooked if it meant I could open at least four meridians, despite my lesser talent."

Yuan Ling shook his head in resignation. "Don't you understand the importance of resting and gathering your strength? If your lack of sleep affects the baptism, what are you going to do?"

The Fatty looked troubled. "I did want to rest, but Yuan Sang wouldn't stop chatting with me, and I couldn't get any sleep. If I'd known, I would have insisted on sharing a room with you."

"Humph, what are you talking about?" Yuan Sang interjected, having overheard Yuan Mu's complaint. With equally pronounced dark circles under his eyes, he pointed at the Fatty in annoyance. "Make it clear, who was talking to whom?"

The Fatty gave a sheepish grin. "Oh, come on, let's not split hairs! We're all good brothers here."

"I don't have time for this nonsense!" Yuan Sang retorted, still clearly upset about Yuan Mu's earlier remarks.

As dawn broke, the group rose for the day. Like the Fatty, it was apparent that none of the other children had slept well in anticipation of the baptism. The Village Chief observed Yuan Ling with a sense of admiration. Yuan Ling's father, Yuan Yi, had been the same way—while the other children were too excited to sleep and were lethargic the next day, he was the only one brimming with vitality.

The Village Chief hastened everyone to quickly finish their breakfast before leading a group of over ten children out of the courtyard. This time, a significant number of children had come to Yuan Town for the baptism. Among them, Yuan Ling blended into the throng and, after a cursory glance, was astonished to discover that there were over three hundred of his peers.

In Yuan Town stood a majestic structure crafted from pure stone. Its design was simple yet imposing, with the stones appearing as though they were naturally formed, devoid of any marks from human tools. This was an ancient temple, its walls adorned with enigmatic carvings that seemed to harbor immense power, imparting an aura of solemnity and sanctity.

At that moment, the temple was abuzz with activity. The din of the crowd and the wailing of children filled the air. The most striking feature within the temple was the bronze cauldron perched atop a high platform. Standing on three legs and reaching a height of about ten feet, the cauldron was etched with the images of fierce mythical beasts that looked as though they could spring to life at any moment. It appeared to contain boiling water, with steam rising vigorously, yet there was no visible flame beneath it, an eerie sight indeed.

The children were all abuzz, each one brimming with excitement. In contrast, they were noticeably more anxious than the adults, as if bracing for some impending dread.

Yuan Ling, Yuan Mu, and Yuan Sang were amidst the crowd, gazing at the colossal bronze cauldron dominating the hall. Yuan Mu and Yuan Sang's eyes were wide with amazement.

"Yuan Mu, it turns out what you said was true!" Yuan Sang said, his complexion ashen and his body quivering slightly.

Yuan Mu's voice was tinged with a sob. "I wish I were lying, but judging by the situation, I'm afraid they might actually toss us in there to cook! I'd end up just like a roasted suckling pig!"

"Your comparison is surprisingly apt," Yuan Ling remarked offhandedly, his gaze fixed on the cauldron. He could clearly see the turbulent heat waves inside, which made the entire hall feel as warm as a heated room. Such temperatures could feasibly cook a person.

However, Yuan Ling's previous life experiences told him that the temperature of the medicinal liquid in the cauldron wasn't as high as one might expect. It was indeed very hot, but for a martial artist, it was hardly a cause for concern.

"Make way, all of you!"

With a haughty bellow, the hall erupted into chaos.

The din that had filled the air fell silent as all eyes turned toward the entrance.

As two exceptionally strong warriors strode into the main hall, a palpable sense of oppression filled the room.

Their arrogance was unmistakable, their eyes gleaming with ferocity.

Any warrior standing in their path was effortlessly shoved aside or toppled over.

Both were martial artists of the Perfection Stage!

Those who realized this were taken aback. Despite their youth, these two were seasoned experts at the Perfection Stage.

The burly warriors wore smirks of contempt as they surveyed the hall, their gaze dismissive.

"Don't you country folks have any manners?"

"The initiation starts with the Four Main Cities. Step aside and let the real talents show you what genius looks like!"

These words ignited a fury in the crowd, particularly among those who had just been kicked aside.

Yet, no one dared to speak up against them.

The Four Main Cities were so named because each housed a Main Bloodline of the Yuan family.

The power of each Main Bloodline was overwhelming, easily crushing any side branch. Anyone foolish enough to challenge them would meet a dire fate.

The two imposing warriors were Yuan Dian and Yuan Kuang, both hailing from the same prestigious Yuan family Main Bloodline.

Many in the Holy Hall recognized them as the personal guards of Yuan Lan, the Eldest Young Master from the Qian City Yuan Family.

The situation rendered many spectators with a sense of resignation.

In lesser families, a martial artist at the Perfection Stage would typically lead the family.

Yet, in a family as colossal as theirs, such individuals served merely as elite bodyguards, a testament to the family's profound legacy that could drive others to despair.

With the arrival of these two, it was clear that the Qian City Yuan Family's entourage was soon to follow.

Before long, the elegantly attired Yuan Lan made his entrance into the Holy Hall, with Yuan Loong and Yuan Xin in tow.

Instantly, they became the center of attention.

Their presence was undeniably striking, and aside from a few inexperienced youngsters, the crowd recognized their stature.

It was immediately apparent that these three were exceptional.

Yuan Lan, the leader, had reached the Celestial Martial Stage at just sixteen years old, a feat unparalleled among his peers.

Martial artists at the Physical Body Stage are categorized into three realms: Worldly, Earth, and Heaven. Each level is separated by a significant threshold, with the leap from Earth to Heaven being the most challenging.

Ordinarily, those with average talent might spend years trying to advance, typically breaking through in their twenties.

Yet, Yuan Lan had already achieved the Celestial Martial Stage at sixteen, a clear testament to his extraordinary abilities.

Following closely behind him were Yuan Loong and Yuan Xin, whose talents were redefining expectations.

Yuan Xin, the youngest sister, was well-known in the Holy Hall; at just ten years old, she had already unblocked eight acupoints, a level of genius rarely seen even in the Four Main Cities.

Even more astounding was Yuan Loong, who surpassed all rumors by unlocking nine acupoints.

His aptitude was undoubtedly the best within the Yuan family!

The hall fell into a hushed awe as everyone grappled with the siblings' exceptional gifts.

The notion of a ten-year-old opening nine acupoints was unheard of, leaving the crowd utterly astonished.

The Qian City Yuan Family was flourishing, and their preeminence in this generation was clear and uncontested.

For a moment, men, women, and children in the hall watched the trio with varied expressions of admiration and envy.

Guided by the siblings, the Qian City Yuan Family procession made its way into the Holy Hall.

Whether it was their formidable strength or their overwhelming presence, the crowd parted, allowing them through.

Even those who had been shoved aside earlier watched with a mix of respect and fear as the siblings chose the prime seats.

The Qian City Yuan Family was in the spotlight, not only because of the three prodigies but also due to the presence of over a hundred children, ranging from as young as seven or eight to thirteen years old.

The wide age range among the children was not unusual.

Baptism is a vital tradition for the Yuan family, though it is not an event that occurs annually.

The baptism would commence only when a sufficient number of eligible participants had gathered.

The Qian City Yuan Family, one of the Main Bloodlines, was the first to arrive, securing the most advantageous spot for themselves. Their gaze upon the others was one of sheer disdain.

The Holy Hall was steeped in silence at that moment. Despite the Qian City folks' arrogance, the rest of the crowd chose to ignore them.

All they wanted was for the baptism to begin soon, keen to avoid any conflict.

The people from Yuan Village and Essence Wood Village shared this sentiment. Even the normally outspoken fatty was now silent, not daring to utter a word.

But sometimes, no matter how unassuming you try to be, you can't prevent others from seeking you out for trouble.

At that time, Yuan Lan and his group were positioned centrally, with a commanding view of the entire hall.

As the leader, Yuan Lan surveyed the assembly with a derisive chuckle.

"Yuan Ji, now is your best opportunity. Make sure you don't let me down again!"

Yuan Ji, a man of imposing stature, felt his eyes grow heavy with determination upon hearing Yuan Lan's words. He quickly located Yuan Ling amidst the crowd.

A menacing glint shone in his eyes as he responded in a low growl, "Rest assured, young master. I won't disappoint you this time!"

Yuan Lan's response was a cold, mocking smile, clearly anticipating Yuan Ji's next move.

Yuan Ji then strode purposefully toward Yuan Ling, making no effort to disguise his intentions.

Yuan Ling's brow furrowed slightly; he knew Yuan Ji was looking for trouble, likely seeking revenge to redeem his past shame.

Yet Yuan Ling wasn't overly concerned. Just the previous night, he had successfully opened his first Acupoint.

His strength was now on par with Yuan Ji's, if not stronger, and he was confident he could easily overpower him in a confrontation.

Yuan Mu, on the other hand, was anxious and couldn't help but yell, "What do you think you're doing? This is the Holy Hall!"

Yuan Ji spared Yuan Mu only a fleeting glance, undistracted by his outburst.

His focus remained fixed on Yuan Ling as he threatened menacingly,

"Listen up, kid. If you have any sense, you'll come out here right now. Today, I'm going to teach you a lesson for all to see!"

Yuan Mu felt slighted when Yuan Ling ignored him, and he couldn't hold back his sharp tongue.

"A person who was sent flying by Yuan Ling's punch still dares to cause a commotion here? Do you want to be sent flying again?"

"You're courting death!"

Yuan Ji's face was beet red, as if he were about to bleed from sheer rage upon hearing those words.

He was a prodigy of the Qian City Yuan Family!

Being bested by a branch family disciple was already a deep humiliation, especially since his opponent was considered worthless for not having opened his meridians.

Now, Yuan Mu had the audacity to publicly rub salt into his wounds, ensuring that his disgrace was known to all, leaving him no way to gracefully exit the situation.

The hall erupted into noise as everyone digested Yuan Mu's words.

Clearly, they were all shocked that Yuan Ji had been defeated by such a so-called 'worthless' individual, yet they also felt a sense of schadenfreude.

The Qian City Yuan Family, usually so haughty, had finally met their match.

"Am I hearing this right? Yuan Ji lost to a nobody from a side branch?"

"That kid must be spouting lies. Yuan Ji is a Level Four Martial Artist. How could he possibly lose to someone who hasn't even opened a single meridian?"

"But doesn't it seem odd? If that guy were lying, why would Yuan Ji come out to duel?"

"I used to think the Main Bloodline's geniuses were formidable. It turns out they might be overrated. By that logic, our own children could be geniuses too!"

"Exactly! The folks from the Four Main Cities are just like that, apparently. A martial artist with four meridians was taken down by a nobody."

...

The clamor in the hall rose and fell as everyone discussed Yuan Mu's revelation.

Yuan Ji now found himself in a position where backing down from a fight was no longer an option.