On this day, the usually quiet Li Family estate erupted with activity.
People bustled through the courtyards, figures darting back and forth, voices rising in every corner. Family members, guards, and servants all moved with purpose and excitement.
Today marked the Li Family's annual coming-of-age ceremony.
The Li Family was massive. Across the entire Azure Wind City and its surrounding industries, their numbers easily reached into the tens of thousands, not even counting the countless guards and household servants.
Each year, dozens, sometimes even a hundred, sixteen-year-old children from both direct and collateral bloodlines would gather to take part in the rite of passage.
This year, Li Yun was one of them.
By around 9 a.m., a large crowd of Li Family members had assembled in the expansive martial arena at the heart of the estate. Most were there simply to spectate, while only a few dozen youths would actually participate in the ceremony.
"Where is Young Master Li Yun?"
Li Yun heard the voice calling out just as he finished preparing in his room.
Stepping outside, he saw one of the estate owner's personal guards waiting in the courtyard.
"Young Master Li Yun," the guard said, face stoic but tone unusually polite. "The coming-of-age ceremony is about to begin. Please head to the martial arts field."
With that, the guard gave a slight bow and turned to leave.
Li Yun raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. That level of respect was new.
In the past, few guards had treated him with any form of deference. 'So word has spread,' he thought to himself. 'Looks like my ability to cultivate is no longer a secret.'
Not that he cared. He never intended to keep it hidden anyway.
In a clan like the Li Family, an ordinary person, even one of direct descent, even the grandson of a respected elder, received no respect unless they had strength.
This world respected power. That was the only truth.
Li Yun didn't dwell on it. After gathering himself with a few last adjustments, he stepped out and made his way to the martial arts arena. The ceremony was about to begin.
The martial arts field was already surrounded by a sea of people, thousands of Li Family members, from the main estate and even distant branches. Many had traveled from remote corners of the region just to witness this important day.
At the center of the wide arena, a crowd of sixteen-year-old youths stood assembled. These were the participants, this year's candidates for the coming-of-age ceremony.
As Li Yun walked toward the field, many familiar faces greeted him along the way.
He responded with a light smile, amused by how quickly things had changed.
Not long ago, these same people wouldn't even spare him a glance. Now that word had spread that he could cultivate, even with his current low realm, their attitudes had flipped.
They all knew the truth, Li Yun was a direct descendant of the main family. With his bloodline and talent, it was only a matter of time before he rose high.
In the arena, the group of young participants appeared to stand together at first glance. But upon closer look, they were clearly divided into two sides.
One side was made up of direct bloodline descendants, the core of the Li Family. The other side was filled with members from the collateral branches, who vastly outnumbered them.
Li Yun recognized nearly all of the direct-line youths, having grown up alongside them. But many of the collateral members were unfamiliar, faces he had never seen, likely from remote branches he'd had no contact with.
He made his way toward the center, not joining either group. Instead, he picked a quiet spot to stand alone.
"Brother Li Yun! You made it."
Just as he settled, a voice called out. Li Yun turned to see a smiling youth approaching.
It was Li Ming, another direct descendant of the Li Family. Like Li Yun, he possessed a non-elemental physique.
"Yeah, I'm here," Li Yun replied with a polite nod and smile.
Though the two had never been particularly close, they had exchanged greetings many times over the years. That was the extent of their relationship.
Still, Li Yun wasn't one to put on airs. He hadn't done so when he was powerless, and now that he was a cultivator, he had no intention of changing. If someone offered kindness, he would return it. Simple as that.
"Brother Li Yun, I heard you can finally cultivate now," Li Ming stepped closer, speaking in a low tone, his expression tinged with gloom. "What stage have you reached?"
"Early stage of the Marrow Cleansing Realm," Li Yun replied calmly.
Li Ming gave a bitter smile. "Marrow Cleansing Realm, huh? Then at least you can stay in the family. I'm not so Lucky. Once the ceremony's over, I'll be sent to Water Pond Town to manage one of the family's mines."
Li Yun could sense the disappointment in Li Ming's voice, but there wasn't anything he could do. He wasn't the head of the family, nor did he have any authority to influence the fate of other Li Family children.
Just then, an all-too-familiar voice rang out.
"Well, well. Li Yun, haven't seen you in a while. You look a little sharper. I was starting to think you'd starve to death," Li Nian sneered as he walked over from the crowd.
Li Yun had noticed him earlier. Li Nian had been watching him ever since he arrived. And now, as expected, the insults started.
"Been eating and sleeping well, thanks for your concern," Li Yun replied with a faint smirk, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
As he glanced briefly through the crowd, his gaze paused for a moment on a slender figure, Li Yao.
She had looked at him when he first appeared... but now, she avoided his eyes completely.
Li Yun exhaled quietly.
"Tch. Let's see how smug you are once the ceremony begins," Li Nian growled under his breath, his voice laced with menace.
"Looking forward to it. But I'm afraid you might end up disappointed," Li Yun replied coolly.
"Don't get cocky!" Li Nian snapped. "You really think you can beat me with just an early stage Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivation? You're dreaming! I'm already at the late stage!"
Li Yun didn't flinch. He simply stood there, calm and confident. His silence was more infuriating than any retort.
"Humph." Seeing that, Li Nian coldly snorted.
The martial arts field suddenly stirred as the crowd grew restless. Countless pairs of eyes turned toward the same direction.
From across the field, a group of figures began walking toward the central platform. Leading them was none other than Li Jinyun, the patriarch of the Li family. Following close behind were five elders, First Elder, Third Elder, Fifth Elder, Eighth Elder, and Ninth Elder.
Not every senior member of the Li family attended the coming-of-age ceremony. Most elders were extremely busy, and such an occasion wasn't significant enough to demand the presence of all of them.
Li Jinyun and the five elders made their way up the central platform. The patriarch swept his eyes slowly across the gathered crowd. The noisy chatter that had filled the air moments ago gradually fell into silence, until the entire field was quiet.
"Elders," Li Jinyun said with a faint smile, "shall we begin?"
"Let's start."
"Proceed."
The elders gave their approval one after another.
Li Jinyun stepped forward and raised his voice. "I now declare the start of this year's Li family Coming-of-Age Ceremony! From this day on, a new generation of our Li family will step into adulthood. I hope each of you brings honor and glory to our clan."
He turned to the ninth elder. "Elder Li Yongfang, I'll leave the rest to you."
The ninth elder, Li Yongfang, nodded and stepped forward to take the lead.
Li Yongfang wasn't just the Ninth Elder, he was also the Li family's chief pharmacist, and their only alchemist too. In terms of status, he was second only to the patriarch himself. Nearly every important member of the clan had, at one point or another, benefited from his pills and potions.
"Young members of the Li family," he began, his deep, grave voice echoing across the platform. "I am Li Yongfang, Ninth Elder."
"This year's coming-of-age ceremony will be presided over by me. You all know the rules, there's no need to waste time with empty words. I will begin calling names. When your name is called, step forward for the baptism. Once completed, you will officially be recognized as an adult of the Li family."
His expression remained stern, his dark skin and severe demeanor made it clear that he was not someone who smiled often.
"Li Yao."
The first name he called out was Li Yao, the daughter of the patriarch.
The moment her name rang out, Li Yao calmly stepped out from the crowd and approached the central platform.
"Li Yao, test your attribute level," Li Yongfang instructed with a nod.
"Yes, Elder." Li Yao replied respectfully before walking over to the glowing attribute crystal.
Attribute crystals were a common artifact found in nearly every clan and organization. Their sole purpose was to determine the elemental affinity of a cultivator.
There were five basic elemental affinities: gold, wood, water, fire, and earth. Each affinity was ranked in five tiers, ranging from low to peak grade.
Li Yao gracefully extended her jade-like hand and pressed it against the attribute crystal. She activated her internal force, and the once-transparent crystal slowly began to glow.
Within a few breaths, the surface of the crystal shimmered with a rich, vibrant cyan hue.
"Wood attribute physique!"
"What a pure color… Li Yao's talent is incredible, far beyond mine."
"Definitely. With talent like that, I wouldn't be surprised if she steps into the Innate Realm before she turns thirty."
Envious whispers echoed throughout the crowd of Li family youths watching from the sidelines, their gazes filled with admiration.
Li Yongfang, the Ninth Elder, gave a small nod of approval as he studied the crystal. "Fourth grade attribute," he declared. His face remained as stern as ever, but the satisfaction in his voice was unmistakable.
Lu Jinyun, the family patriarch and Li Yao's father, couldn't hide the pride gleaming in his eyes. His daughter's talent was indeed exceptional.
A fourth-grade attribute physique was a rare gem in all of Azure Wind City. With such talent, as long as she avoided any major misfortune and remained diligent in cultivation, she was all but guaranteed to step into the Xiantian Realm one day.
For any major clan, a child born with a fourth-grade attribute was a future cornerstone, a rising pillar meant to be nurtured with full attention.
Fifth grade attributes were even more legendary, but such talent hadn't appeared in Azure Wind City for over a century. Below that were third, second and first grade attribute physique with first grade being the most common among cultivators.
Li Yao calmly withdrew her hand from the crystal. Her expression remained composed and detached, as if she hadn't just revealed an extraordinary talent. Not a hint of pride or excitement crossed her face.
"Li Yao, what realm have you reached in your martial cultivation?" Elder Li Yongfang asked in a calm voice.
"Late stage of the Marrow Cleansing Realm," she answered respectfully.
"Very good," he nodded. "From this moment forward, you are officially recognized as an adult of the Li family."
"This is your coming-of-age gift, three bottles of Marrow Cleansing Potion and two thousand gold coins. I hope you'll continue to improve and climb even higher in your martial path."
He handed her a neatly wrapped bundle.
When the crowd heard that Li Yao had received three bottles of Marrow Cleansing Potion, a fresh wave of astonished murmurs rippled through the audience.
Marrow Cleansing Potions were priceless treasures. In comparison, the two thousand gold coins, though a substantial reward, were merely the icing on the cake.
"Thank you, Elder," Li Yao said calmly, bowing as she accepted the gift.
Every child of the Li family received a certain amount of cultivation resources after their coming-of-age ceremony. The better their talent, the greater the reward, a clear message from the family: excellence would always be rewarded.
"Stand to the side," Elder Li Yongfang instructed with a nod.
Li Yao stepped off the platform and quietly moved to the side.