Yuan Wei woke up at exactly eight in the morning, but in truth, he felt as if he had never truly slept.
Throughout the night, his heart had been pounding too fast, as if something invisible were hammering inside his chest. He had closed his eyes many times, tossed and turned in bed, taken deep breaths trying to calm himself, but the anxiety had persisted, alive and burning like a small flame hidden beneath his skin.
Today was no ordinary day.
Today was the day of the awakening of the spiritual root.
In the world he was born into, few events were as important as that one. At the age of ten, every child in the clan would finally discover their true path in cultivation. The spiritual root defined more than talent; it revealed an affinity with the elements of heaven and earth, the potential to absorb spiritual energy, the direction of future techniques, and, in many cases, even the destiny that awaited each member of the family.
Yuan Wei slowly rose from the bed, feeling his fingers slightly cold. The morning light streamed through the carved wooden windows, tracing soft, golden patterns on the floor. Outside, the inner courtyard was already awake. Servants hurried about, clan flags fluttered in the light winter breeze, and low voices echoed through the corridors of the main residence.
It was the last day of the year.
December 31st of the year 8,514,320 of the Sectarian Era.
The date itself already carried a solemnity. But for Yuan Wei, it would have an even greater brilliance: yesterday, December 30th, he had turned ten years old. He was the youngest among the children in that group, the last to reach the required age to participate in the ceremony. Therefore, he would also be the last to take the test.
He ran a hand over his face, took a deep breath, and stood up.
As her bare feet touched the cold ground, she felt a slight shiver run down her spine. She couldn't tell if it was the morning chill or the anticipation of that moment that had finally arrived.
On the low table in his room, a set of new clothes awaited him: dark blue ceremonial robes, with discreet gold thread embroidery and the Yuan Family symbol stitched onto the chest. The clan's crest—a circle surrounded by stylized flames and ancient markings representing lineage, protection, and continuity—seemed more vibrant than ever that morning.
While getting dressed, Yuan Wei tried to calm his own mind.
"It will work out," he repeated silently.
But the phrase, instead of calming him, seemed to make the magnitude of the moment even clearer.
When he finished, he looked at himself in the polished reflection of a metal plate hanging on the wall. He still had the childlike face of a ten-year-old boy, delicate features, attentive and lively eyes, dark hair carefully tied back. However, behind that youthful image, something was simmering. An old wait. An expectation that seemed greater than he could comprehend.
Soon someone knocked on the door.
"Young Master Yuan Wei," said a maid from outside in a respectful voice. "The ceremony will begin soon. Everyone is already gathering in the Awakening Courtyard."
"I'm coming," he replied.
Upon leaving the room, he found the main corridors decorated with red ribbons and pale jade lanterns, prepared for both the ceremony and the New Year's celebration. Some older clan members walked with serene expressions, others conversed in hushed voices. There was a restrained joy in the air, a warm solemnity.
The Yuan family was united.
That was one of the things Yuan Wei loved most about his clan. There was none of the kind of poisonous discord that so many stories about other cultivating families recounted. The elders protected the younger ones; brothers and cousins grew up together, trained together, celebrated together. There were differences in talent, of course. There were preferences, expectations, natural inclinations. But there was no malice among them. The success of one was, in a way, the success of all.
As Yuan Wei walked through the corridors and arrived at the large awakening courtyard, he saw that most of the clan was already gathered.
The place was vast and austerely beautiful. At its center stood the Platform of Spiritual Awakening, made of white stone interspersed with translucent veins of spiritual jade. Around it, tall pillars supported ceremonial ribbons that swayed in the breeze. Rare incense burned in large bronze vessels, spreading a light and sacred fragrance in the air. At the top of the platform rested the Crystal of Awakening, a multifaceted sphere the size of a human head, mounted on an ancient pedestal covered in inscriptions.
It was there that the fate of the clan's children would be revealed.
Presiding over the entire ceremony, in a position of honor before the platform, was the First Uncle, Yuan Zhentian .
His figure was imposing without being overly severe. Tall, with broad shoulders, steady eyes, and a naturally respected voice, Yuan Zhentian was one of the pillars of the clan and today he would preside over the rite with the dignity the moment demanded. Beside him, other elders and important family members observed calmly.
Yuan Wei took his place among the other cousins.
As he was the youngest of the group, he would be last.
He felt a pang in his chest as he realized that all eyes would inevitably fall on him at some point. Not out of rivalry—that didn't exist between them—but because there was always a special curiosity surrounding the last one to wake up, even more so when it was the boy who had turned ten literally on the eve of the ceremony.
Nearby, the sixth cousin, Yuan Kai , paced back and forth, clearly restless.
"You didn't sleep, did you?" Yuan Wei asked softly, with a small smile.
Yuan Kai let out a short, nervous laugh.
Sleep? I could barely close my eyes. My mother said I looked like a wandering ghost all night.
Yuan Wei almost laughed, and the tension inside him eased slightly.
Little by little, the ceremony began.
One by one, the members of that generation were called to the platform.
Each child placed their hand on the Awakening Crystal. The artifact then absorbed a trickle of blood, responded to the spiritual essence of the one being tested, and revealed their origin through light, color, vibration, and inscriptions floating in the air.
The entire courtyard remained silent with each new test.
The results started to come in.
The first among the cousins from that part of the group to attract attention was none other than Yuan Kai , the sixth cousin, whose anxiety seemed to burst from every pore. When he placed his hand on the crystal, the sphere shone with a steady and firm intensity. The energy condensed into a vibrant color, revealing a clear affinity with wind. The result was received with satisfaction by the elders, and Yuan Kai descended from the platform with his face flushed with relief.
Then others came.
Next, it was the turn of the seventh cousin, Yuan Bo .
Upon touching the crystal, a brownish-golden light spread across the entire surface of the sphere, heavy and solid as ancient mountains. The inscriptions floated slowly in the air:
Spiritual root of spiritual degree — earth element.
A wave of approval swept through the courtyard. Yuan Bo, calm by nature, bowed his head respectfully to the elders before descending.
After him, the eighth cousin, Yuan Lei , stepped forward onto the platform.
As soon as his hand touched the crystal, the sphere exploded in red and orange flames, beautiful and blazing like a bonfire under the night sky. The inscriptions then formed:
Spiritual root of spiritual degree — element fire.
Some clan members smiled with even more enthusiasm. An affinity for fire had always been valued among the Yuan.
Soon after, the ninth cousin, Yuan Sheng , took his test.
This time, the brilliance was silvery and sharp, like blades polished in sunlight. There was a rigidity, precision, and a certain sharpness to the energy emitted.
Spiritual root of spiritual degree — metal element.
Once again, the platform confirmed an excellent result.
Then came the cousins.
The fifth cousin, Yuan Ling , approached gracefully and serenely. The crystal responded with a crystalline blue glow, fluid and smooth like spring water.
Spiritual root of spiritual degree — water element.
The sixth cousin, Yuan Hua, then awakened a verdant, fresh, and vibrant energy.
Spiritual root of spiritual degree — wood element.
The seventh cousin, Yuan Qing, made the crystal vibrate with violet and blue sparks that crackled in the air like small storms.
Spiritual root of spiritual degree — ray element.
The eighth cousin, Yuan Lian, touched the sphere immediately afterward, and a pure, radiant white light opened up like petals of a rising sun.
Spiritual root of spiritual degree — element of light.
Finally, the ninth cousin, Yuan Ting, ascended the platform amidst absolute silence. When the crystal responded, a deep, dark mist enveloped the sphere, like a liquid shadow tinged with mystery.
Spiritual root of spiritual degree — element of darkness.
Still, there was no fear in the courtyard. Only admiration. Each of those children had awakened a spiritual root of great spiritual depth , an excellent result for any clan. The elders exchanged discreet, satisfied glances. That generation held great promise.
Yuan Wei watched everything in silence.
His heart was beating faster and faster.
One by one, his cousins had awakened remarkable talents. The pride in his heart was genuine. They were his family. His generation. His future, side by side on the path of cultivation.
Then, at last, Yuan Zhentian raised his voice:
Yuan Wei will be the last to take the test.
For a moment, the world seemed to slow down.
Yuan Wei provided the background inspiration.
A cool winter breeze rustled between the pillars. The clan flags trembled. The scent of incense seemed to intensify. All eyes turned to him, but there was no hostile weight in those gazes—only expectation, affection, and curiosity.
He took the first step.
Then the second one.
She climbed the steps of the platform, her heart pounding in her chest. With each movement, she felt the sound of her own footsteps louder than it should be. When she reached the Crystal of Awakening, she realized her hand was trembling slightly.
He tried to calm down.
Below the platform, he saw familiar faces: uncles, aunts, grandmother, parents, older siblings, cousins. They were all watching him in silence.
Yuan Zhentian placed his hand on his shoulder for a brief moment.
"Don't rush," said the First Uncle, in a firm, calm voice. "Feel your breath. Let the crystal see who you are."
Yuan Wei nodded.
Then, slowly, he raised his right hand.
The instant his skin touched the cold surface of the crystal, something inside him trembled.
First came the heat.
Not an ordinary heat, but a deep, burning wave that rose from his chest to his meridians, spreading like living fire throughout his entire body. Then there was a subtle distortion in the air. The robes of those present stirred. The flames of the incense flickered. The very space around the platform seemed to ripple for a brief second.
The crystal sparkled.
No, it shone very little.
The sphere exploded in light.
Golden and red flames rose from within the artifact in powerful spirals, as if a miniature sun had awakened inside. Mixed with this, translucent rings and shimmering distortions appeared in the air, as if invisible layers of space were being torn apart and recombined before everyone's eyes.
The courtyard fell into absolute silence.
Registrations did not appear immediately as they did in previous tests.
First, the brightness intensified until it was almost impossible to look at. Then, the entire crystal vibrated with a deep sound, similar to the distant echo of an ancient bell.
Only then did the words begin to form in the air.
Slow. Solemn. Resplendent.
Sacred spiritual root — elements of fire and space.
Nobody spoke.
For a moment, even the elders seemed unable to react.
Yuan Wei's heart seemed to stop.
Fire... and space.
Sacred degree.
He involuntarily took a step back, his eyes wide, feeling his blood boil in his veins. It was as if something very ancient had awakened along with those words. As if heaven itself had looked down upon him at that very moment.
Below the platform, expressions of astonishment gradually transformed into something even greater: emotion.
Some elders gasped in disbelief. Others clenched their fists, as if trying to contain their own agitation. Among the cousins, there was absolute enchantment. Yuan Kai's mouth agape. Yuan Ling brought his hand to his lips. Yuan Qing seemed unable to blink.
Zhentian 's voice echoed like thunder restrained by solemnity:
— Heaven has blessed our family.
Only after those words did the courtyard begin to breathe again.
The commotion spread like a wave. Not of disorder, but of reverent awe. A talent of sacred rank would already be extraordinary in itself. But a spiritual root with a dual affinity for fire and space was something that many members of the clan never imagined witnessing in their entire lives.
Yuan Wei stood motionless before the still-gleaming crystal.
He didn't know exactly why, but he felt that this was more than just a revelation of talent.
It was the beginning of something bigger.
Much bigger.
And as the last golden sparks still danced around the platform, a strange and indescribable feeling coursed through his blood—as if, somewhere deep and forgotten in the history of the Yuan Family, something ancient had finally acknowledged its return.