New Year Ancestor Worship (Part 1)

Time flew by, and over a month passed in the blink of an eye.

As the Lunar New Year approached according to the old Eastern calendar, the Yin Clan City-State became incredibly lively. Aside from those clan members who were on secret missions elsewhere and couldn't get away, all other Yin Clan members, regardless of what they were doing abroad, rushed back as quickly as possible.

Tens of thousands of Blood Servants busied themselves inside and out, cleaning the Yin Clan City-State until not a speck of dust remained. Red couplets with gold calligraphy were pasted on every doorway, and scarlet lanterns, as numerous as stars in the sky, hung from every portal and pillar throughout the entire city-state.

The Yin Clan City-State, usually filled with a somber and oppressive atmosphere, gained a touch of vibrant color in these past few days. However, this bright red, symbolizing auspiciousness and celebration in the East, was jarringly conspicuous under the crimson glow of the Blood Mist Barrier.

Yin Xuege also concluded his cultivation and joined the hustle and bustle of preparing for the New Year with a brilliant smile.

His status at this moment was vastly different from what it was a little over a month ago. All his authority and treatment were now equivalent to that of an Elder of the 'Earth' Generation. Eight Grand Deacons from the four powerful halls were constantly by his side, accompanied by a large contingent of Yin Clan Experts and warriors for escort. With just a word from him, countless people would be working tirelessly all day!

In the eleven years of his life, Yin Xuege had never experienced anything like this. Everyone treated him with reverence, instinctively lowering their gaze and softening their voices and tones in his presence. Everyone greeted him enthusiastically with well wishes whenever they saw him.

This unfamiliar warmth brought many thoughts to Yin Xuege's mind. Though only eleven years old, his eyes already held a hint of world-weariness and maturity. His state of mind had undergone significant changes in just a few days; the feeling of power surging from absorbing twenty drops of Duke's Essence Blood was gradually eroded by that trace of weariness and gravity.

With a clear and serene heart, Yin Xuege deeply understood one thing from the way his clansmen now treated him with such deference after previously being indifferent – power was everything!

On the bell tower east of the Yin Clan Ancestral Temple, a bronze ancient bell weighing twelve thousand jin (approximately 6,000 kg) struck with a resounding clang. The deep and clear bell sound carried for hundreds of miles. Within the Yin Clan City-State, all clan members donned their formal ceremonial attire and, according to their generation and status, formed neat lines, walking towards the Ancestral Temple.

After one hundred and eight bell tolls, over a hundred thousand Yin Clan members stood in perfect formation on the plaza before the Ancestral Temple.

Dozens of Yin Clan Elders of the 'Heaven' Generation lined up before the Ancestral Temple entrance. They wore dark gold and red ceremonial robes, topped with purple-gold hair crowns. Their attire and adornments followed ancient Eastern rituals precisely, with even a small pendant on their belts being an ancient Eastern jade with thousands of years of history.

In the center of these Yin Clan Elders stood Yin Tianjue, smiling warmly, his hands tucked into his sleeves. He looked down upon the neatly arranged ranks of his clansmen stretching for several miles below. The vast plaza was silent; not a single Yin Clan member dared to make the slightest sound.

Time ticked by second by second. Suddenly, on the drum tower west of the Ancestral Temple, a giant drum twelve meters in diameter was struck by two burly men wielding massive beast bone mallets. The dull, deep, and heart-penetrating drumbeats slowly began. Yin Tianjue composed his expression, turned around without a word, placed his hands on the Ancestral Temple's main doors, and pushed open the two-foot-thick doors made of ebony.

The auspicious time had arrived, and the Yin Clan's annual Ancestral Worship Grand Ceremony officially commenced!

With a long creaking sound, the two temple doors, twenty meters high and twelve meters wide, swung open, revealing a chilling gust of cold air that surged from the dark Ancestral Temple. This cold air instantly swept across the entire plaza, causing countless Yin Clan members, standing solemnly, to shiver simultaneously.

With continuous "whooshing" sounds, countless torches and braziers inside the dark Ancestral Temple were lit one after another. The dim red light illuminated the Yin Clan Ancestral Temple, which covered several square miles. Low sounds of wooden fish and chanting could be faintly heard from the deepest parts of the temple.

Led by Yin Tianjue, the Yin Clan Elders of the 'Heaven' Generation solemnly entered the Ancestral Temple in formation. Yin Tianjue's own brother, the Yin Clan's Second Supreme Elder Yin Tianmie, straightened his back and stood at the Ancestral Temple entrance, majestically unfurling a blood-red scroll in his hand.

"Yin Difeng!"

A young man among the Yin Clan Elders of the 'Earth' Generation bowed to Yin Tianmie, then meticulously took four steady steps forward and ascended the steps before the Ancestral Temple entrance, slowly walking through the main doors.

"Yin Dizhou!"

A Yin Clan man with three wisps of beard and an ancient appearance smiled reservedly, bowed to Yin Tianmie, and quickly entered the Ancestral Temple.

One by one, Yin Tianmie called out the names of Yin Clan members, and one by one, they entered the Ancestral Temple doors. These were the clan members qualified to enter the Ancestral Temple, to offer incense to the Yin Clan's ancestors, and to participate in the Ancestral Worship Grand Ceremony. While participating in the annual Ancestral Worship Grand Ceremony did not bring tangible benefits to the Yin Clan members, it represented their status within the clan!

Being able to enter the Ancestral Temple for the New Year's Ancestral Worship meant you were a core member of the Yin Clan. Even if you were from a collateral branch of the Yin Clan, as long as you could enter the Ancestral Temple to participate in the Ancestral Worship Grand Ceremony every year, no one would dare to look down on you!

Conversely, even if you were from the direct lineage of the clan, even if you were Yin Tianjue's own son, if one year you were suddenly stripped of your qualification to enter the Ancestral Temple for worship, your life within the Yin Clan would undoubtedly become very difficult! Other clan members would look at you strangely, and those who had previously attached themselves to you might immediately switch their allegiance!

The Blood Demon clan was a race that valued practical benefits the most! The annual Ancestral Worship Grand Ceremony encompassed so much more than just that!

There were over five thousand Yin Clan members of the 'Earth' Generation, but only two hundred and fifty-eight were qualified to enter the Ancestral Temple for the Ancestral Worship Grand Ceremony!

All Yin Clan members had a general idea of this list; they roughly knew who was qualified to enter the Ancestral Temple today. They also knew which individuals who previously lacked the qualification would receive special honor today, and which individuals who had been qualified in previous years would be stripped of their right to participate due to mistakes made this year.

What astonished the Yin Clan members present was that after the last Yin Clan Elder of the 'Earth' Generation was named by Yin Tianmie and entered the Ancestral Temple, Yin Tianmie calmly announced a name that surprised everyone – 'Yin Xuege'!

Standing at the back of the plaza, mixed in with the Young Disciples, Yin Xuege was stunned. Countless clan members on the plaza turned to look at him simultaneously, their gazes filled with a complex mixture of shock, fear, and disbelief. Yin Xuege was just a young disciple; how could he be qualified to enter the Ancestral Temple today?

Even if he was a Sunwalker, even if he possessed infinite potential and was qualified to enter the Ancestral Temple, he shouldn't have been listed after so many 'Earth' Generation Elders, entering the Ancestral Temple before so many of his elders!

The Yin Clan members in front of Yin Xuege instinctively moved aside to the left and right, clearing a path directly to the Ancestral Temple.

Taking a deep breath, his heart filled with clarity, Yin Xuege smiled with understanding, lifted his head slightly, and with steady, measured steps, walked unhurriedly towards the Ancestral Temple doors.

"Yin Xuege, this is what you deserve!" Yin Xuege looked resolutely at the main entrance of the Ancestral Temple. He didn't even glance at Yin Tianmie as he slowly passed by him and stepped through the Ancestral Temple doors.

A tiny voice, like the buzzing of a mosquito or fly, suddenly sounded by Yin Xuege's ear: "Yin Xuege! Your mother, Yin Huangwu, is my direct descendant. In other words, you are the legitimate son of my lineage, Yin Tianmie. Do your best, and if you have any needs, just go to Xuan Yin Palace; the entire Xuan Yin Palace is your backing!"

Yin Xuege's face twitched slightly. He turned to look at Yin Tianmie, nodded slightly, and then strode into the Ancestral Temple.

All along, Yin Xuege only knew that he possessed the identity of a direct descendant of the Yin Clan and that Yin Huangwu was his mother. Beyond that, he knew nothing about his background or identity. It was only today that he learned Yin Huangwu originated from Yin Tianmie's lineage and was his direct descendant.

The Yin Clan had nine Supreme Elders of the 'Heaven' Generation, and the Yin Clan's direct bloodlines were divided into nine branches. Each branch possessed a palace within the Yin Clan City-State. Xuan Yin Palace was the core stronghold of Yin Tianmie's branch of the clan, and 'Xuan Yin Palace' also referred to all the people and all the strength of Yin Tianmie's branch.

If Yin Tianjue's rewards and promises a month ago represented the recognition of the entire Yin Clan, then Yin Tianmie's silent transmission today represented the support of the Yin Clan members of the 'Xuan Yin Palace' lineage for Yin Xuege!

From now on, within the Yin Clan, Yin Xuege truly had a force he could borrow, a power that could protect him when he was weak.

Following a pathway paved with black stone slabs, Yin Xuege walked step by step towards the Ancestral Temple's main hall, a hundred meters away. Yin Tianjue and the other Yin Clan Elders and Elders stood neatly before the Ancestral Temple's main hall, their eyelids drooping, their mouths closed, and their minds focused, remaining silent.

Yin Xuege took his place behind the many Elders, choosing the outermost position. Then, imitating the Elders, he also narrowed his eyes and remained silent. The atmosphere within the Ancestral Temple was exceptionally oppressive, causing Yin Xuege's mind to go blank, devoid of any other thoughts.

The high-pitched and prolonged calls of Yin Tianmie came from behind him, and one by one, core Yin Clan members of the 'Wu' Generation slowly walked in. Only a mere one hundred and twenty-seven 'Wu' Generation clan members were qualified to enter the Ancestral Temple. These 'Wu' Generation clan members did not hold any actual responsibilities within the clan; the vast majority of them were in the golden stage of strength improvement, and they usually spent their time in secluded cultivation! (To be continued)