New Year Ancestor Worship (Part 2)

The 127 Nameless Generation members of the Yin Clan who were qualified to enter the ancestral temple were all powerful individuals. The sinister aura emanating from them was extremely dense, a mixture of chilling evil and blood energy, sharp and aggressive like the edge of a sword, forcing Yin Xuege to feel as if his entire body was being sliced by knives. He couldn't help but frown.

Following them were the members of the Yin Clan's 'Extreme' Generation.

The Heaven Generation elders of the Yin Clan spent most of their time sleeping in their coffins.

The Earth Generation elders formed the highest governing body of the Yin Clan, the Elder Council. They adjudicated major clan disputes, controlled the clan's development direction, and were responsible for diplomatic relations with other powerful Blood Demon clans.

As for the Nameless Generation clansmen, there's no need to mention them. They were at an age where their strength was rapidly increasing. They were in seclusion, cultivating diligently, and basically paid no attention to clan affairs.

The Extreme Generation Yin Clan members, such as Yin Jihuang and Yin Jiwu, managed the clan's actual power. All the various halls and departments were under their control. For the Extreme Generation members, entering the ancestral temple to participate in the clan's ancestral worship ceremony held an extraordinary significance. It represented their influence within the clan and how the clan elders viewed them!

"Yin Jihuang!"

As Yin Xuege had expected, the first person to enter the ancestral temple was Yin Jihuang, the first of the Yin Clan's Extreme Generation.

"Yin Jishuo!"

This was the seventh person of the Yin Clan's Extreme Generation, the master of the Yin Clan's Merit Hall, responsible for recording the merits of clansmen and awarding Merit Jade Slips or various rewards.

"Yin Jixuan!"

This was the eleventh person of the Yin Clan's Extreme Generation, the master of the Yin Clan's Internal Affairs Hall, responsible for all internal affairs of the Yin Clan, managing countless Blood Servants and Blood Slaves, and even holding command of the Yin Clan's internal guards. Other matters, such as the expansion and renovation of the Yin Clan City-States, were also his sole responsibility.

One by one, the Extreme Generation Yin Clan members entered the ancestral temple, but Yin Xuege never heard Yin Jiwu's name!

The final thirty-six Extreme Generation clansmen entered the Yin Clan's ancestral temple. They were either hall masters, chief stewards, or commanders of certain Yin Clan units. However, among them were not the Blood War Hall Master Yin Jiwu, nor the External Affairs Hall Master Yin Jiliao!

"You shall wait here. After the ancestral worship ceremony, the Yin Clan's annual martial arts competition will commence immediately! During the ancestral worship ceremony, any noise is strictly forbidden, and violators will be severely punished!" Yin Tianmie's sinister and murderous warning echoed from outside the ancestral temple. Then, amidst the sonorous sounds of bells and drums, Yin Tianmie's long cry soared into the sky: "The Yin Clan Ancestral Worship Ceremony officially begins! Close the ancestral temple gates and bring forth the three sacrificial animals!"

Yin Xuege looked back and saw Yin Tianmie stride into the ancestral temple with a strange smile. The dark ancestral temple gates closed heavily behind him. Three hundred and sixty Yin Clan Warriors, clad in blood-red armor, slowly walked to the rear of the ancestral temple gates, firmly guarding the entrance.

No Yin Jiwu, indeed, he was not there!

No Yin Jixuan, likewise, he was not there!

Yin Xuege smiled knowingly. Was this considered an explanation from the Yin Clan elders? Yin Xuege let out a heavy sigh, as if exhaling all the resentment he had accumulated over the years. He turned his head and followed the example of Yin Tianjue and other family elders who were dancing and kneeling before him, bowing to the numerous heavenly and earthly spirits and his ancestors, step by step.

Mountains of incense, candles, and paper money were lit in a massive, three-legged bronze cauldron. Flames soared into the sky, and countless ashes from the paper money were carried aloft by the heat, drifting into the sky with the wind. The sound of bells and drums continued incessantly, and chanting voices rose from all directions. Yin Tianjue and other clan elders each threw a personally written ancestral prayer into the cauldron to be cremated, thereby appeasing the clan ancestors and praying for their protection.

Yin Xuege, in a joyful mood, busied himself within the ancestral temple. However, on the plaza outside, Yin Jiwu's fair and handsome face had turned ashen!

Since he took charge of the Blood War Hall, he had never missed an annual ancestral worship ceremony for decades! He was a direct descendant of the Yin Clan, held a high position, controlled all of the Yin Clan's external armed forces, and was an indispensable member of the Yin Clan's core power circle.

But today, he had suffered an unprecedented humiliation; he had been unceremoniously expelled from the ancestral worship procession! He wasn't even as fortunate as this little brat, Yin Xuege! Countless clan members on the plaza were secretly observing Yin Jiwu, their gazes like countless flying daggers whistling towards him, burning Yin Jiwu's face and puncturing his self-esteem like a fragile balloon!

He even experienced hallucinations, as if he heard some clansmen who were at odds with him within the family whispering and chuckling!

Although he knew that no one dared to make a sound during the ancestral worship ceremony inside the ancestral temple, he still felt as if he could truly hear laughter.

Streams of hot blood rushed to his head. Although the Blood Demon race could be considered cold-blooded animals in a certain sense, rarely losing emotional control, Yin Jiwu's vision was currently darkening, his heart was beating violently, his blood pressure was rapidly rising, and the furious rage in his heart had transformed into a towering inferno. He needed to find an outlet for it.

Yin Xuejiao stood behind Yin Jiwu, trembling as he looked at his father's ashen face. His heart was in turmoil, and his mind was a mess, unsure of what he was thinking. His father being excluded from the ancestral worship procession—what did that mean?

Had his father lost the trust of the clan elders and was about to lose his power? Without power, how could he, Yin Xuejiao, still receive extra cultivation resources? How could he possibly maintain his previous rapid cultivation speed? Wasn't his future, his destiny, completely ruined?

Suddenly, Yin Jiwu grabbed Yin Xuejiao's shoulder, his strong fingers making his shoulder blades creak.

In the midst of the intense pain, Yin Xuejiao, who dared not cry out, heard his father's faint, ant-like telepathic message: "Later, during the martial arts competition, you are only allowed to win, never to lose! You must take first place in the competition for the young disciples! If you fail, you are no longer my son! Your younger brother will take your place! His mother will take your mother's place!"

Yin Xuejiao's hair stood on end, and the pain in his shoulder made him gasp. He raised his head, glared fiercely at his father, and then nodded forcefully.

A little over an hour later, the Yin Clan's ancestral worship ceremony concluded.

All the Yin Clan members who participated in the ancestral worship ceremony filed out of the ancestral temple. The bell tower on the east and the drum tower on the west struck simultaneously. Yin Tianmie walked slowly to everyone and then forcefully waved his arm.

A flash of light shone across the plaza in front of the ancestral temple, and many Yin Clan members dispersed in all directions.

With a low rumble, a metal arena, two hundred meters long, two hundred meters wide, and ten meters high, slowly rose from the ground.

Yin Tianmie's voice echoed throughout the venue: "Enough talk, let's proceed according to the rules of previous years! The Yin Clan Martial Arts Competition begins now!" (To be continued)