C2 Open the Allseeing Eye

Today marks a pivotal day for Chu Feng, as it will decide whether he can become a warrior. The annual Heaven-Worshipping Ceremony bestows upon young men with martial arts potential the ability to open the All-Seeing Eye. This sacred gift enables them to absorb the divine energy of the heavens and earth, granting them formidable strength.

"This body is still too weak... I hope today is the day I can open the All-Seeing Eye," Chu Feng mused, gazing into the copper mirror within Nimbus Palace. It had been a month since his rebirth into this frail form, a month of realizing his vulnerability to the point where even a eunuch could bully him without resistance.

Today, Chu Feng's hopes were sky-high. If he succeeded in opening the All-Seeing Eye, he could leverage the memories of his past life to grow into a mighty warrior. Failure, however, would doom him to a future of relentless humiliation.

"Feng, are you ready?" Su Yun's voice interrupted his reverie. As she entered and saw Chu Feng neatly attired, a look of relief washed over her face. Chu Feng felt a surge of warmth at the sight of her; she had shielded him with her slender frame from the countless insults he'd endured over the past month.

"Mother, I am ready. Today, I will surely open the All-Seeing Eye and become a warrior!" Chu Feng declared, his eyes brimming with confidence.

"Yes, it would be wonderful for you to open the All-Seeing Eye. But remember, even if it doesn't happen, you have nothing to fear with me by your side," Su Yun responded, her joy giving way to a calm reassurance.

Chu Feng could read the concern behind Su Yun's steady gaze; she feared he might despair if he failed to open the All-Seeing Eye, prompting her comforting words. It was true that most warriors with innate talent opened their All-Seeing Eye by the age of fifteen. Now sixteen, Chu Feng faced long odds, with the chance of awakening his All-Seeing Eye growing ever more distant.

Chu Feng was unfazed by Su Yun's concerns. Despite the fact that this body had not awakened the All-Seeing Eye by the age of sixteen, Chu Feng had already unlocked the All-Seeing Eye at the tender age of three in his previous life. He had faith in his latent potential.

A long, resonant cry suddenly echoed from a distance as Chu Feng and Su Yun were conversing.

At that moment, on the plaza before the palace of the Edora Kingdom, a dense crowd had gathered, each person's face alight with excitement, as if in anticipation of something momentous.

Soon after, a procession of palace guards burst forth from the palace, followed by several hundred court musicians in long robes, all heading toward the massive bronze cauldron at the center of the plaza.

"Sacrifice to the heavens!"

An elder in a regal python robe bellowed, and at that moment, several hundred guards dragged forth a colossal cage containing a War Beast that was heaving with labored breaths, seemingly immobilized.

The elder glanced over and gestured with a subtle wave of his hand.

Instantly, a towering man wielding an enormous longsword plunged the blade into the War Beast's throat. As the longsword was withdrawn, the beast roared in fury, and a geyser of blood erupted from the gash in its throat.

The elder in the python robe, witnessing the scene, let out a commanding cry, forming an intricate hand sign and directing it at the War Beast.

Suddenly, the blood that was spilling onto the ground surged toward the bronze cauldron.

As the blood entered the cauldron, the once silent vessel began to hum and radiate a brilliant light. In a flash, a beam of light burst forth from the cauldron, shooting straight into the heavens.

BOOM!

As the light from the cauldron pierced the sky, thunder rumbled overhead. Simultaneously, the sky, previously clear, became shrouded in ominous clouds.

The crowd watched with exhilaration—the ritual to open the All-Seeing Eye was commencing!

Meanwhile, in Nimbus Palace, Chu Feng, observing the transformation in the sky, immediately prepared to dash to the plaza. He knew he had to be present at the plaza for the All-Seeing Eye ceremony.

"Hey, Your Highness, where might you be headed?"

Chu Feng had just stepped out, intent on heading to the plaza, when a burly man suddenly blocked his path.

"Step aside. I'm going to activate the All-Seeing Eye!"

Chu Feng's eyes narrowed as he regarded the man with a hostile demeanor, his voice icy.

"Apologies, but the plaza's quite crowded with others aiming to activate the All-Seeing Eye today. Prince Chu Lang is concerned you might get hurt, so he sent me to keep an eye on you."

The burly man gave Chu Feng a disdainful once-over, inwardly sneering. He couldn't fathom how someone with Chu Feng's frail physique could possibly activate the All-Seeing Eye, nor why Chu Lang would bother sending him to stop someone he considered worthless.

Despite the guard's conviction that Chu Feng couldn't activate the All-Seeing Eye, he had to comply with Chu Lang's orders.

"Move!"

Chu Feng's voice was frosty, his gaze fixed intently on the guard.

The guard, feeling the intensity of Chu Feng's stare, inexplicably shivered and involuntarily retreated a few steps. "Please, Your Highness, don't put me in a difficult position."

Regaining his composure, the guard felt ridiculous for having been intimidated by someone he viewed as insignificant. He'd surely be the butt of jokes if word got out.

"Everyone has the right to attempt to activate the All-Seeing Eye before turning sixteen. That's what the King has decreed. Chu Lang has no authority to deny me that right, so step aside!"

With that, Chu Feng made a determined beeline for the door.

But as he moved forward, the guard shoved him, causing Chu Feng to stumble and nearly fall.

"You...!"

Chu Feng glared at the guard, seething with anger. He hadn't anticipated Chu Lang resorting to such tactics to prevent him from activating the All-Seeing Eye.

Adding insult to injury, Chu Feng was now confronted with the reality that even a mere guard possessed more strength than he did.

"Your Highness, please don't push me."

The guard, eyes narrowed, spoke slowly to the enraged Chu Feng. Though Chu Feng was the eighth son of the King of Edora and technically his lord, his current status as the prince of the Cold Palace was inferior even to that of the guard. If Chu Feng pushed him too far, he might not be able to restrain himself.

"Alright... Alright!"

Chu Feng glared at the guard before him, his teeth clenched in frustration. Powerless as a dog, a sentiment often echoed by his master, now made perfect sense to him. He truly was no better off than a stray.

"You know what today means for Feng. This is everything I have. I'm begging you to let Feng go to the square and awaken the All-Seeing Eye. Please... I'm begging you."

Su Yun, holding a package, pleaded with the guard as she offered it to him.

"If I let him out, it'll be the end of me, and I don't take bribes."

The guard's icy tone left no room for negotiation as he faced Su Yun.

"Mother! I, Chu Feng, will not beg anyone, least of all a dog like him!"

Chu Feng's eyes narrowed as he spoke coldly to the guard.

"You! Haha, sure, I'm a dog, but still better than you. What right does trash like you have to speak to me?"

The guard, taken aback by Chu Feng's words, let out a cold laugh before responding with disdain.

"You!"

Su Yun was shaking with rage upon hearing the guard's words.

"Mother, please leave. I need a moment to myself."

Chu Feng's calm voice was directed at Su Yun, who stood before him.

Chu Feng refused to believe that with his potential, he was incapable of awakening the All-Seeing Eye.

"Feng'er..."

"It's okay, Mother."

Chu Feng reassured Su Yun with a nod, seeing the worry etched on her face.

After Su Yun departed, the guard remained at the door. Chu Feng, with a look of defiance, slammed the door in the guard's face.

"What's with the arrogance? You're nothing but trash. Let's see if you're still so smug after today."

The guard's mocking words seeped through the door, his tone unapologetically harsh, causing Chu Feng to furrow his brow.

"I don't need to be at the Heaven-Worshipping Ground to unlock my own All-Seeing Eye!"

Chu Feng sat cross-legged, gazing at the white jade pendant in his hands, and whispered resolutely.

Rune of Power.

Rumors had long spoken of a being who could shatter the void and ascend to the ranks of the heavens and earth's mightiest. Now, that potential rested in Chu Feng's hands, with all his hopes pinned on the Rune of Power.

The plaza, once shrouded in darkness, erupted into chaos as the Heaven-Worshipping Ceremony concluded. Beams of light rained down from above, infusing the young warriors with divine energy. One by one, they awakened their All-Seeing Eye.

"My son has finally opened the All-Seeing Eye!"

"So has mine!"

"Dad, I've opened the All-Seeing Eye!!"

The plaza was alive with exultant shouts as youth after youth activated their All-Seeing Eye, bathed in the celestial light.

On the opposite side of the plaza, a different scene unfolded.

"Why didn't that waste of space show up?"

A young man, adorned in a python robe, turned to Chu Lang, who was similarly dressed.

Prince Chu Tian of the Edora Kingdom.

"I had the guards stop that nobody. He wouldn't have been able to open the All-Seeing Eye anyway. But just to be sure, I didn't let him come."

Chu Lang responded with a cold laugh.

If Chu Feng failed to open the All-Seeing Eye by sixteen, his fate would be of no concern to the King of Edora.

"You always think things through. Haha, if he can't open the All-Seeing Eye at sixteen, his father won't have much to say even if we were to end him."

"He won't just stay silent; our father might even reward us. We're doing the royal family a service by erasing this disgrace."

Chu Lang's laughter boomed at Chu Tian's remarks, a sinister glint flashing in his eyes.

"After today, your nightmare begins..."

Squinting, Chu Lang gazed toward Nimbus Palace, his voice a low murmur.