“Everyone, calm down!” Chief Lan huffed as the crowd murmured, all eyes locked on the swirling black orb and Wang Lin.

  Still trying to understand what just happened, Wang Lin slowly lifted his hand from the orb. The black energy dissolved, and the glowing stars faded one by one.

  “Do not worry, little Lin. Granny Mei will know more about what transpired. She’ll be able to explain what that color means,” Chief Lan said, inspecting the orb. He held it in his hands a moment longer than usual, brow furrowed.

  ‘Black? That’s not in any of the elemental records.’

  Setting the orb gently back onto the pedestal, he smiled. “And congratulations—beating my record, eh?”

  Years ago, Chief Lan had reached six stars in the fire element. He had held the village’s record for nearly a decade. He was proud of the boy, but a small tremor of unease tugged at the edge of his mind.

  ‘This shouldn’t be happening all at once.’

  Wang Lin returned the smile with a respectful bow.

  “Thank you, Chief.”

  But the test wasn’t over.

  Wang Lin turned to the second trial—the cage holding the black crow-like bird, its crimson eyes locked onto him. It hadn’t blinked once since the spirit root test began.

  The moment Wang Lin approached, the bird opened its beak.

  Understanding what to do, Wang Lin picked up the pin beside the cage and pricked his thumb. A drop of blood fell into the bird’s open mouth.

  The entire square held its breath.

  The bird was silent for a moment. Then—

  “Crawwww… Arcane Bloodline… Crawwww…”

  Gasps erupted.

  Only one other person in Sandy Village had ever awakened a bloodline: Granny Mei herself. And she was over eighty years old.

  A booming laugh broke the silence. “Hahahaha! I knew my son was destined for greatness! There’s no way this village can hold him forever!”

  “WANG LIN! WANG LIN! WANG LIN!”

  The villagers roared in cheer. Even those who didn’t know Wang Lin well clapped proudly, the energy, infectious.

  A few aunties wiped tears from their eyes. “The heavens have blessed our village this year!”

  Children shouted and jumped, pretending to be Wang Lin as they mimicked his pose with exaggerated pride.

  Shen and the other children forced smiles, clenching their fists. As happy as they were for Wang Lin… none of them wanted to be outdone.

  “Continue, boy,” said Chief Lan, eyes gleaming. “Perhaps you are the destined one to carry this village into a new age.”

  As Wang Lin settled into the formation circle, Chief Lan retrieved a talisman from within his robe and activated the formation. The glowing circle pulsed around the boy’s body, scanning him. The lights flickered, then stilled.

  Chief Lan glanced at the talisman and frowned.

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  Three glowing words appeared: Clear Mind Physique.

  He stepped forward and placed a hand on Wang Lin’s shoulder.

  “You possess the Clear Mind Physique. You are the first person in village history to awaken both a bloodline and a physique. Today, you have set a record that may never be broken.”

  ‘Two gifts in one child. This isn’t chance. Either fate is smiling—or something is shifting.’

  Wang Lin bowed deeply and returned to the line, overwhelmed and smiling from ear to ear. The crowd murmured in awe.

  As he rejoined the other children, he glanced at them, eyes proud, filled with a subtle but unmistakable sense of superiority.

  “Next up… Guo Bao,” Chief Lan called.

  The crowd broke into laughter.

  If Wang Lin meant “King of the Forest,” Guo Bao meant “Fruit Bun.” And it suited him. A plump, cheerful boy with a round belly and an endless appetite, Guo Bao was adored by the village—especially the aunties, who loved pinching his cheeks.

  “Go get ‘em, dumpling!” someone called.

  “Try not to eat the orb!” another villager joked.

  Scratching his head and laughing without a care, Guo Bao waddled up to the stage.

  Bowing respectfully to Chief Lan, he turned to the orb and placed his hand on it.

  At first, the orb cycled normally… until it began to glow—a searing, radiant white that blinded anyone staring too long. Then the stars lit up.

  1… 2… 3… 4… 5… 6… 7.

  Seven stars.

  The crowd froze.

  Guo Bao burst into laughter and glanced mockingly at Wang Lin, whose expression soured immediately.

  “Well, looks like the 10th Festival is full of surprises!” Chief Lan laughed, masking his growing concern with a smile.

  ‘Another one… And this time it’s an unknown element. White light? This isn’t in the scrolls. And yet… the orb isn’t malfunctioning. It’s responding.’

  “I don’t think my tiny heart can handle another shock!” someone called from the crowd.

  “Who would’ve thought chubby Bao had talent like this?”

  “Guo Bao, continue forward,” Chief Lan said, half-expecting another revelation—and getting less surprised by the moment.

  Guo Bao approached the bird, pricked his thumb, and let a drop of blood fall into its mouth.

  Silence…

  Then:

  “Crawwww… Blessed Bloodline… Crawwwww…”

  The villagers gasped again. Then laughter followed.

  “Did someone put spirit stones in our water this year?” an elder muttered in disbelief.

  Guo Bao didn’t wait for applause. He waved toward the Chief and sat in the formation circle.

  Chief Lan activated the formation. As the light settled, the talisman lit up once more.

  He read the words aloud with a sigh.

  “Titan Bone Physique”

  “Well done, son. You’ve been blessed with the Titan Bone Physique. You’ll be a future pillar of this village.”

  As Guo Bao bowed and stepped off the stage, more than one person muttered, “A titan in the shape of a bun.”

  Standing beside Wang Lin, Guo Bao leaned in and whispered, “Ohh dear chosen one… looks like your record only lasted a few minutes, ahahah!”

  Wang Lin’s clenched jaw and twitching eye didn’t go unnoticed—especially by the other children, who began snickering.

  But before Chief Lan could even call another name, a girl stepped boldly onto the stage.

  She was another orphan, like Shen, picked up from beyond the village borders. Her piercing electric-blue eyes scanned the crowd; her brows sharp as blades, and her rare blue-green hair blew softly in the desert wind. Even among so many unusual children, she stood out.

  “Xue Ying,” Chief Lan chuckled. “I see you’re eager. Go ahead.”

  He watched her carefully. The energy around her… It’s cold, focused. She walks like a sword, not a child. Is this just a coincidence? Or is something waking?

  Shen watched her with interest. Though they’d never spoken, he felt a quiet connection with her. Her serious demeanor and lonely presence mirrored his own.

  “She’s definitely going to grow up to be an ice queen,” he muttered.

  Lan Yue, beside him, heard that—and immediately began pouting.

  Xue Ying placed her hand on the orb.

  Instantly, it burst into a deep, glowing blue. The stars flared to life:

  1… 8… 9.

  Straight from 1 to 8, then 9.

  Even Chief Lan’s mouth dropped open. He stroked his beard in disbelief, so hard he accidentally pulled a few hairs out.

  With three gifts back to back… All stronger than anything in the last generation. Something’s shifting beneath the surface.

  Lan Yue, now staring daggers at Xue Ying, clenched her fists. But when she saw Shen frowning in thought, her jealousy eased. He wasn’t admiring—he was analyzing.

  Xue Ying moved to the bloodline test. She pricked her finger and dropped blood into the bird’s mouth.

  “Crawwww… Crawwww… Warborn Bloodline… Crawwww…”

  Even Xue Ying raised an eyebrow.

  For the first time, she had a clue—maybe even a key—to the truth about her origin.

  She composed herself, walked to the formation, and sat.

  Chief Lan activated the talisman, already knowing what to expect. When he saw the result, he no longer flinched.

  Glacial Vein Physique.

  He turned to the crowd, raising his voice. “Another gift from the heavens. Let us remember this day—it marks a turning point in our village’s fate.”

  But whose fate exactly? He thought, staring out at the children. And what price will it demand?